Don't Miss These Whimsical Watercolors

The Library is fortunate to have an art display by Cori Caputo for the month of February. Her images will set your imagination free in a world where mermaids dance, gardens float in the air, and landscapes exude a quirky charm.

One Night at the Library

I guess I'm having an emotional night....I'm at work, at the library, and a boy, who looked to be about 10 or 11 years old, came up to ask if I knew how to make the computer underline something. So I went over to where he was working, and he showed me the problem-- he was supposed to be underlining items in a bibliography, but didn't know how. I showed him how to highlight an item, and then to find the "U" button to underline, and his whole face just lit up--he was so grateful. Then his mom, who was here with him, just lit up with smiles, too, and was so thankful. I feel quite sure that this family does not have the resources to own a computer. I don't know, it just left me feeling choked up---it's so easy to take everything we have for granted, and to just assume that everyone out there has access to the same things we do. Then you meet a boy, and his mom, who come to the public library so that he can type his papers, and who don't know how to navigate this technological world, and are so grateful for even a tiny little bit of assistance.....let's not forget that these people are out there, and that they depend on their public library...

A New Tool for Dover Genealogists

A local researcher has taken on the ambitious project of scanning the vital statistics information from the City of Dover Annual Reports and indexing it. So far she has completed birth, marriage, and death records for the years 1887 – 1890. Click on vital records and you can search by year and type of vital record- births, deaths, or marriages, or you can search by name. A very useful tool, I can't wait for more years to be added!

Evanovich & Meyer Taking On the Graphic Novel World

I just read a New York Times article about how Janet Evanovich & Stephanie Meyer are currently working on graphic novel adaptations of their books. Evanovich is actually adding to a an already existing series which was begun by Metro Girl and Motor Mouth. I find this very interesting because I am not sure if her current followers will be interested in reading a graphic novel. I don't read her books and so I cannot speak for myself on this point--just a guess. Meyer is working with Yen Press on Twilight, which will come out as a 2 book graphic novel. I found this quote by Kurt Hassler, the Publishing Director for Yen Press, speaking about the size and look of the book, both interesting and disturbing: “This will fit very nicely on fans’ bookshelves." Is he interested in people reading them or just buying them to add to their "collection"? Maybe I shouldn't haven't gotten out of bed this morning as I am feeling a bit jaded. What do you think: insightful comments or cranky librarian?

This Is the Way the World Ends

not with a bang, but a sneeze? With apologies to TS Eliot.

Lately, everything I read or watch seems to involve the flu destroying civilization as we now know it. I caught a 30 minute sneak peak of a BBC show called Survivors. These survivors aren't lolling around tropical islands trying to outwit each other. They are people trying to survive a flu which kills 99% of the population. Medical care is practically non-existent, public transportation has ceased, and the power is going out all around London. It was chilling and totally involving.

Then my latest Netflix DVD arrived. It was Carriers, about two young men and their girl friends seeking safe haven from what else, but a flu that kills everyone it infects. There were many tense moments and some tough moral questions posed. If contact with an infected person would lead to certain death, would you desert your loved ones to save yourself?

After that I started reading Veracity by Laura Bynum. This novel's premise is that half of America's population is wiped out by a pandemic/viral terrorism. A new government forms; the Confederation of the Willing. All personal freedoms are willingly sacrificed in the name of safety and security. Citizens are implanted with a device that can physically punish or even kill them if they utter a word banned by the government. The list grows every day, and a generation grows up not knowing what the words like freedom and democracy mean. If you enjoyed the Handmaid's Tale and 1984, you will like this creepily plausible vision of the future.

Today my co-worker is out sick.... I think I am starting to feel paranoid.

This Is It!

The Library will be showing Michael Jackson's This Is It Saturday, February 6 at 2pm in the Lecture Hall. All of our movies are FREE and open to the public. The film is is rated PG, and is described as follows:

Michael Jackson's This Is It will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London's O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson's This Is It captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show.

Get with the 2000s!

When my children were teenagers, they used to tell me to "Get with the 90s!" whenever I said, did or wore anything they considered old-fashioned. I didn't get upset as I knew it was said in jest and it did remind me of my own teen years when Bob Dylan told "mothers and fathers throughout the land" that they'd better get with it because "The Times They Are a-Changin' " .

Well, the Dover Public Library Children's Room is finally "getting with the 2000s" by withdrawing our Video collection in favor of DVDs. If you still own a VHS player, you can take advantage of this move by purchasing these videos at our "mini-sale" display sponsored by The Friends of Dover Public Library.

All vidoes = $1

The New Man in My Life

Yes, I have a new man in my life and his name is Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier. My husband need not be jealous since he died in 1832, but it seems I can't get away from Cuvier lately. I just finished reading The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott which is a historical novel set during the time of Napolean's exile--highly recommended by the way. The book is about a young man who travels to Paris to work in a coveted research position under his idol Cuvier. Cuvier is a world renowned naturalist who was director of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, which features prominently in the book. While I was still in the process of reading The Coral Thief, I was at work reading Publisher's Weekly magazine, and came across a review of a book about Sarah Baartman, known as the Hottentot Venus. Cuvier's name appears because he visited Sarah, along with other naturalists, for purposes of scientific paintings (the whole story is quite disturbing). Driving home from work a few days later Cuvier's name came up during a story on NPR. I am still waiting to read Tracy Chevalier's new book Remarkable Creatures, in which I will once again be reunited with Cuvier. I'm not sure how long I can keep up this relationship, but he is a fascinating person.

Groundhogs and Earthworms

A number of events conspired today to make me think of spring and my sleeping garden. That dratted groundhog said spring wouldn't arrive for another 6 weeks. The brilliant blue sky above seemed to disagree, it had the feel of a day in March. My kitchen compost bucket was overflowing so I took advantage of the springlike temperatures to walk over to my compost heap, blessing my husband for snow blowing me a trail so I didn't have to clamber over snow and ice to reach the compost bins. Then as I got ready for work I saw Margaret Hagen of the UNH Cooperative extension explaining how you could use bins of earthworms inside your house for composting so you don't have to slog out to distant compost bins buried in the snow. If you would like to learn more about using earthworms to compost or composting in general, the Library has a collection of compost books in 631.8. I particularly like The Complete Compost Gardening Guide by Barbara Pleasant. It has a great chapter on setting up and caring for your composting worms. The kids will be intrigued but don't let any fishermen in the family get ideas!

Tax Time Once Again

"Today, it takes more brains and effort to make out the income-tax form than it does to make the income." ~Alfred E. Neuman

If the above quote resonates with you, perhaps you would like to take advantage of the free AARP Tax Aid. This free tax filing assistance will be at Dover Public Library on Tues., Thur., & Sat. from 9am to 12pm through April 15th. The assistance is on a first-come-first-serve basis, and is located in the Lecture Hall of the Library. This wonderful service is made possible by the individuals who generously donate their time. Thank you!

New Museum Pass

Thanks to the Friends of the Dover Public Library, we now have passes to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (formerly know as The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium) available for borrowing.

The library passes allow free admission to the Discovery Center Exhibit Area for up to 4 people (prices without passes are: Adults-$9, Student/Senior-$8, and Child-$6). The Exhibit Area features "fun, educational, scientific hands-on exhibits to explore and enjoy".

Planetarium shows are an additional cost of $3 per person (see their website for show details and schedules). Stop by the Children's Room or call us at 516-6052 for more information.

To see a list of all museum passes available at DPL click here.

Love And Taxes

I was amused by the Circulation Librarian's new Valentine display. Hugs and kisses and hearts over.... tax forms.

You Can Help Dover Be a Beautiful Place

Tuesday night at 6:30 PM, Jon Batson, Master Gardener, will be here to teach you how you can adopt and landscape one of Dover Main Street's Adopt-A-Spots. He will discuss choosing the best plants, adding curb appeal and visibility, and proper care and maintenance of your spot. With this excellent guidance, you may then sign up (optional, of course) to adopt your own spot and help beautify downtown Dover. Sponsored by Dover Main Street.

Do You Read Cover to Cover?

Do you read the preface of the book you are reading? I always do. Sometimes it is just a dedication to an author's loved ones, or helpful friends. Sometimes it is a bit more intriguing. The most unusual dedication I have come across yet is in the historical novel I just picked up by Jane Borodale, "The Book of Fires," which reads, “with thoughts spared for all those condemned to death by hanging at Tyburn.”

Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Beware!

This Saturday, January 23 at 2:00pm the library will be overrun by a pack of armed guinea pigs. We will try to keep them contained to the Library Lecture Hall, but consider yourself forewarned. The guinea pigs, of course, are the stars of our weekly Saturday matinee. G-Force is rated PG, and is described as follows:

Armed with the latest high-tech spy equipment, a covert team of highly trained guinea pigs discover that the fate of the world is in their paws. Tapped for the G-FORCE are guinea pigs Darwin, the squad leader determined to succeed at all costs; Blaster, an outrageous weapons expert with tons of attitude and a love for all things extreme; and Juarez, a sexy martial arts pro; plus the literal fly-on-the-wall reconnaissance expert Mooch, and a star-nosed mole Speckles, the computer and information specialist.

As always our movies are FREE and open to the public!

ThingsThat Keep Us Going

It was my good fortune to be working at the Circulation Desk this morning. Two patron comments really lifted my spirits.

One man paid double his overdue fine and said with a smile, "keep the extra for the cause".

Another woman told us that she wants to volunteer here after she retires, she "couldn't have survived without the Library".

Award Winners Announced!

The American Library Association recently announced the winners of the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz Awards. Here are the 2010 winners:

John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
**Winner**When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
* Newbery Honor Books*
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children:
**Winner**The Lion and the Mouse illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
*Caldecott Honor Books*
All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
**Winner**Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Charles and Emma: Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman (on order)
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes

Wish You Were Here....

I am still cataloging the album full of Dover photos and postcards that came in last month. I am working on a postcard that made me stop and wonder about the sender when I read the inscription he wrote.2-24-15 Lots of exciting events, man stabbed and robbed on Court St back of the Sawyer Farm. Another fellow fell off a team got cut up, took him to hospital hour later he jumped out on them. 9:30 last night another lady had her hand bag snatched from her at Washington and Myrtle St. Matt Towle died last evening. Got up on time, it is lonesome around here. Nibs.

I am looking forward to finding more cheery postcards from Nibs.

Take the Guesswork Out of Charity Giving

When a disaster strikes, such as the earthquake in Haiti, many peoples' first thought is "How can I help?" For many the help comes in the form of a financial contribution, but where is the best place to donate? What organization will make the best use of your money? The following is a list of web sites that take the guesswork out of charity donations. These web sites allow you to look up a charity to make sure it is legitimate, find out what their mission is, find out how much money goes toward administrative costs, etc. Many of these web sites also currently have a list of charities helping in the Haitian relief effort.

Charity Navigator: Your Guide to Intelligent Giving

GuideStar

Just Give

Network for Good

Bon Appetit!

I can't believe it has been 5 years since I read (actually listened to the book on CD) of Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. For anyone who isn't familiar with the book, or now the movie, Julie Powell took on the yearlong task of cooking every recipe from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She chronicled this journey on her blog, and she quickly became an Internet celebrity. The book was hilarious--though I did feel like I gained 10 pounds just listening to the descriptions of meals which all seemed to be dripping in butter. The movie, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, is now out on DVD and we will be screening it for our matinee this Sat., Jan. 16th at 2:00pm in the Library Lecture Hall. As always our movies are free and open to the public. Bon appetit!

Harry Potter™: The Exhibition

Hedwig is delivering this message:

You are invited to experience the magic of Harry Potter™: The Exhibition at the Museum of Science in Boston (the only place in New England to host the exhibition and the second place to do so worldwide) at a discounted rate when using the library's museum pass.

This exhibit features more than 200 authentic props and costumes from the Harry Potter films, all displayed in settings inspired by the film sets -- including the Great Hall, Hagrid's hut and the Gryffindor™ common room. See Harry's glasses, his original wand, the Marauder's Map, and Hermione's Yule Ball gown or try pulling a screeching Mandrake from its pot and tossing a "Quaffle."

The library pass entitles up to 4 people admittance to the museum's general exhibit halls for $5 each. For library pass holders, tickets to this special exhibit will be an additional $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $13 for children 3-11 years old (with a maximum purchase of 4 tickets per library pass). This is a savings of $10 per person off the regular ticket price.

For more information or to reserve the Museum of Science Library Pass, stop by the Children's Room or call 516-6052.

Don't "Do It Yourself" with these books!

Publisher Oxmoor House has recalled 951,000 home improvement books because of errors. Faulty instructions in the books could lead to shocks or fire hazards for those installing or repairing their electrical wiring. The books were published over three decades from 1975 through 2009. Here are the nine titles:

• AmeriSpec Home Repair Handbook


• Lowe's Complete Home Improvement & Repair


• Lowe's Complete Home Wiring


• Sunset Basic Home Repairs


• Sunset Complete Home Wiring


• Sunset Complete Patio Book


• Sunset Home Repair Handbook


• Sunset Water Gardens


• Sunset You Can Build---Wiring

The Library had two of these titles and we've since withdrawn them from our collection!

"Dover Reads" 2010

"Dover Reads" is a citywide reading project, sponsored by the Dover School District Community Involvement Committee, which encourages everyone to read the same book to promote a sense of community and the joy of reading. This year, the committee has chosen Zachary's Ball by Matt Tavaras. In the story, Zachary goes to his first Boston Red Sox game with his Dad where they catch a ball and something magical happens.

Join us for a fun-filled kick-off bookfair celebration at Barnes and Noble in Newington, NH on Friday, January 22, from 4:00-8:00 pm. No purchase is necessary to attend but a portion of all sales (with voucher you may pick up in the Children's Room) will go to support Dover Reads 2010. This is a great time to use those holiday Barnes & Noble gift cards!

The schedule of events is:
4-8 pm---Meet Matt Tavares, author and illustrator of Zachary's Ball
4-5 pm---Listen to barbershop quartet sing old time tunes
4-8 pm---Kids' crafts (make and take a baseball pennant!)
6 pm---Story time (hear the author read his books, Zachary's Ball and Henry Aaron's Dream)

The Dover Reads Committee has donated 10 copies of Zachary's Ball to the library. All copies will be available for check-out by January 22. Reserve your copy today!

If You Need a Laugh

Who doesn't need a good laugh this time of year? Craig Ferguson's American on Purpose is just the ticket. You know you are in for an amusing, irreverent ride when the book begins by describing the sighting of Laura Bush's underpants at an official function. "Mrs. Bush was wearing an elegant silky frock, but when she stood with the light behind her you could see her undies. Big comfortable knickers, what are known in enlightened circles as passion killers, in what looked like a floral pattern. Ideal for a long night of smiling and nodding and being a good sport at the annual press, showbiz, and politics bunfight that is the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner." Imagine this all being discussed with a Scottish accent. Craig Ferguson narrates his book on CD and it completely makes the story.

Its not all fun and games in this book. It is the story of Ferguson's life, beginning in a poor and violent neighborhood in Scotland. There are lots of drugs, alcohol, failed relationships, and salty language. You wouldn't want to listen to this with your kids in the car. Ferguson has a knack for making the diffcult circumstances in which he finds himself funny, and always interesting. I enjoyed this audiobook so much that I am tracking down the films he made. I highly recomend it!

It's Raining Meatballs at the Library!

Or it will be on Saturday, Jan. 9th for our matinee--Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. All of our movies are FREE and open to the public. This is an animated family adventure where a scientist tries to solve world hunger only to see things go awry as food falls from the sky in abundance.

Worried About Your Carbon Footprint?

Don't forget about our two-part series on Alternative Energy--the first workshop is scheduled for this Monday, January 11th, and will focus on Solar Hot Water & Why Everyone Should Consider It. Learn about type of collectors, storage options, and back-up heat sources. Workshops will be conducted by Jack Bingham, owner of Seacoast Energy Alternatives Inc. There are many reasons why you should consider alternative energy and here are just a few:

• Reduce your carbon footprint
  


• Fix a portion of your energy costs for the next 20-30 years



• Increase the value of your home
  

Hope to see you there!

Books on My iPod

A couple of the librarians are giving themselves a Christmas gift of the latest iPod Touch so there has been a lot of excited chatter at the desk lately about the cool things this new toy can do. In addition to the obvious ability to play music, the Touch has wi-fi capability so you can connect to the Library catalog and look library materials up while you are browsing the stacks! I plan on downloading audio books through the library on to mine. I found out you can download Kindle e-books onto the iPod Touch, even more exciting was hearing that there is a website that allows you to download free e-books. Manybooks.Net allows you to choose from over 25,000 public domain titles. I can't wait to start reading and listening to books on my iPod!

Our Very Own Best of 2009 List

Each year we compile the Librarians' Choice; a list of the Dover Public Library staff's favorite books and DVDs. We had so many favorites this year that we could barely squeeze them onto one bookmark. We hope you will enjoy them as much as we did!

Librarians’ Choice 2009

Figures in Silk by Vanora Bennett
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan C. Bradley
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Lovers by John Connelly
Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
South of Broad by Pat Conroy
Bodies Left Behind by Jeffrey Deaver
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron
One Second After by William Forstchen
The Burying Place by Brian Freeman
The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner
The Night Villa by Carol Goodman
East of the Sun by Julia Gregson
The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah
The Séance by John Harwood
The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill
Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz
Garlands of Gold by Rosalind Laker
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
A Proper Education for Girls by Elaine di Rollo
Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg
That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
Rough Country by John Sandford
Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Cooking Dirty by Jason Sheehan
Grace Hammer by Sara Stockbridge
The Leper by Steve Thayer
Stopover in Venice by Kathryn Walker
Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
The Second Time around by Marcia Willett

My Life in Ruins DVD
Changeling DVD
Michael Clayton DVD
Appaloosa DVD
State of Play DVD

Children’s Books
Escape Under the Forever Sky by Eve Yohalem
The Blue Shoe: a tale of thievery, villainy, sorcery and shoes by Rod Townley
My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald
The Roar by Emma Clayton
Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise
Family Reminders by Julie Danneberg
Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers
Ghosts in the House! by Kazuno Kohara

Did You Spend Too Much Money Over the Holidays?

Do you want to make a New Year's resolution to budget better for next holiday season, and throughout the year? If so, join us on Monday, January 4th at 6:00pm in the Library Lecture Hall for the first in a series of lectures titled Money Matters. The first lecture will cover Budgeting After the Holidays, and will be presented by Ellen Rondina, Extension Educator with UNH Cooperative Extension. This series is brought to you by the UNH Cooperative Extension, the Cash Campaign of Southeast NH, and the Dover Public Library. This is a great way to start the new year off right!

Carpeting Again! And New Storytime Sessions!

Please bear with us once more as our library carpeting project starts up again after a holiday respite! Due to some adjustments that need to be made to the carpeting tiles installed in the Children's Room, the Children's Room will need to be closed on January 4 & 5 while the re-work is done. We will still have Story Hour Sign-Ups as scheduled on Monday, Janaury 4 at 9am for preschool story times and at 6pm for toddler story times. If you're a Dover resident and would like to register your 2-5 year old child, here's the scoop:

Six story time sessions (3 for preschoolers and 3 for toddlers) will begin the week of January 11 and run through through February 12. Enrollment is limited to Dover children.
Sign-up begins at 9am for the Monday (1:30pm), Monday Bedtime (7pm), and Tuesday (9:30am) groups for 3-6 year olds. Phone call registration (516-6052) begins at 9:15am. These 45-minute preschool programs (attended by the children only) include stories, finger plays, songs and puppets. A themed craft or film is also offered during each weekly session. Sign-up begins at 6pm on January 4 for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Toddler groups (9:30am) for 2 year-olds. Phone call registration (516-6052) begins at 6:15pm. Toddler programs (attended by the child plus their parent or care-giver) include stories, finger plays and songs specially selected for the developmental level of 2 year-olds. Although the Children’s Room will be closed on January 4th & 5th for carpeting adjustments, Story Time sign-ups will still take place in person and by phone. For more information, please call the Children’s Room.

Back to the carpet...the rest of the library (stacks, mezzanine, staircase and addition) will be completed during the week of January 11, 2010. We're really looking forward to having it all done!

Happy Holidays to All

Our holidays hours are as follows:

Thursday, Dec. 24: 9am - 12pm
Friday & Saturday, Dec. 25 & 26: Closed
Thursday, Dec. 31: 9am - 4pm
Friday, Jan. 1: Closed

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

The Cliquetionary is Here, The Cliquetionary is Here!

The Clique series by Lisi Harrison is a teen book series that is similar to Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar (yes the one that the TV show is based on). Well, we just received the book Cliquetionary: the Wit and Wisdom of the Clique, and let me tell you it is amusing. It actually has one of those word wheels on the cover and helps you understand what sayings like EW (eternal wannabe) and GLU (girls like us) mean. The word that always comes to mind when I see this series is SNARKY. I can understand why the series is so popular because it is pretty funny and clever, but I do hope most things in the books are fiction and there aren't really girls in the world who say things like "No ones loves inner beauty more than unattractive wannabes"--one can only hope.

Ladybug Picture Book Award Results

During the month of November, 20,441 New Hampshire children from preschoolers to those in third grade voted for their favorite book from the 2009 list of Ladybug Picture Book Award nominees.

And the winner is...Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox (receiving 3,467votes!).

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.

Nearly Half a Century at the Top of Her Game

Driving into work this morning I heard P.D. James being interviewed on NPR--I couldn't believe that her first detective novel, Cover Her Face, came out in 1962! I am a big fan of her Adam Dalgliesh series, and so it was interesting to hear her talk about the character, her take on what makes a good mystery novel, and authors who have influenced her. She believes the the "golden age" of detective fiction was in the time between the World Wars. She mentions four authors, who wrote during this "golden age", who she believes helped to "[lift] a rather despised genre into a form which could be taken seriously": Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh. She has just released a book Talking About Detective Fiction that examines the craft of the genre from top to bottom. If you have any interest in writing detective fiction this book would definitely be worth a look.

City Hall Burns Down

Actually, I should be more specific since three of Dover's City Halls have burned down. I am referring to the City Hall Opera House which burned in 1933. The Opera House was a grand structure which could seat 1800 people. It had a floor capable of raising and lowering, three tiered balconies with brass and velvet trim, and a chandelier with 95 electric light bulbs.

One of the exciting finds in the photo album that was donated to us this month was several never before seen photos of the 1933 fire. Take a look.

New Use for Your iPhone

My niece told me she scanned her library card barcode into her iPhone and presents her iPhone at the Library to check out books. She doesn't always have her library card with her but she always has that phone on her! I thought that was a pretty creative use of an iPhone, and pretty cool that her Library's barcode scanners could read the image on her iPhone.
Has anyone else heard of this being done?

An Author Does Good

Stephen King, more famous for terrifying readers, has also become known for his willingness to donate the money he earned through writing horror to good works. This Christmas he and his wife, writer Tabitha King, are making sure their local National Guardsmen can spend the holidays with their families.

As the Bangor Daily News reports,

"Stephen and Tabitha King had no problem donating money to ensure that the 150 members of Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Unit could come home for the holidays.

They did have a slight problem with the requested amount, though.

“Steve is such a numbers person,” said Julie Eugley, one of the author’s personal assistants. “When we were approached for $13,000, he thought that number was a little unlucky. He didn’t want any bad whammies associated with these troops.”

Way to go, Mr. and Mrs. King.

Books Into Movies

Lately, there have been a slew of new movies that are based on books. Here are some recent or upcoming releases and the books from which they’ve been adapted:

Ø Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin is now the film "Invictus" with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.
Ø The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis is the Sandra Bullock dramatization of right tackle Michael Oher’s football career and upbringing.
Ø Up in the Air is a 2001 novel by Walter Kirn and opening soon is the highly-touted film of the same name starring George Clooney.
Ø Alice Seybold’s haunting novel, The Lovely Bones, is due out mid-January and will star Saoirse Ronan as the 14-year old murder victim.
Ø Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s picture book, Where the Wild Things Are, was released in theatres to critical acclaim in October.
Ø Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs is a hilarious and popular children’s book by Judi Barrett and now an entertaining new animated film.
Ø The Fantastic Mr. Fox, also featuring George Clooney (as a voice), is getting rave reviews as an animated movie based on the Roald Dahl children’s favorite.
Ø Push by Sapphire has been reinvented as the movie "Precious", a 4-star film starring talented newcomer Gabourey Sidibe and Mariah Carey as you’ve never seen her.
Ø And watch for Dennis Lehane’s Boston-based Shutter Island, debuting mid-February starring Leo DiCaprio.

But most important, NEVER judge a book by its movie! (The book is always better!!)

Last Minute Holiday Shopping

In my frantic bid to finish my holiday shopping, I was browsing online for bookplates. You know those things that you can put on the inside front cover of books that say "This book belongs to___". You know, the things that the librarian in your life would get you as a gift. Well, as a kid I thought they were pretty cool so there are several little kids I know getting these as a gift. However, I didn't like any of the ones I saw available, but I did happen upon a very, very cool web site called My Home Library. I am so excited about this because they give you free use of their bookplates (except for commercial use), and they have lots and lots of them to choose from. Some are from top children's illustrators like Helen Oxenbury! I think this is such a great present because it will only cost the price of some stickers and your time, but you can choose different ones for each person depending on their taste--pretty special. Take a look; you won't be sorry.

You Learn Something New Every Day

Today I was ask if we had a braille collection of books for kids. Unfortunately we don't, but I said I would look into what the State of New Hampshire library has. The State Library has a lot of resources that are available to New Hampshire residents such as their Talking Books Program, and yes their braille collection. Follow the link to the Talking Books Program and click on the Kids Catalog to search for braille or audio titles just for kids! I was very excited to learn about this service (nerdy librarian) and just wanted to pass it on.

Kill A Watt Energy Detectors

The Dover Public Library now has 6 Kill A Watt Energy Detectors available for check out. It is very easy to use--just plug it in at your home or office, and find out exactly how much electricity all your appliances and electronic devices are using. It's the first step to lower electric bills (who could complain about that) and to a smaller carbon footprint! The Detectors were made available by nhsaves, and you can visit their web site at http://www.nhsaves.com/.

Funny NYT Article: 10 Strangest Book Titles

Follow this link http://timesonline.typepad.com/comment/2009/12/the-10-stangest-books-in-the-english-language.html to read Daniel Finkelstein's "Comment Central" column in the New York Times about ABE Books and their weekly choice of the "Weird Book of the Week." Finkelstein adds his own suggestions for the top 10 strangest book titles including:

• The Bible Cure for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Jewish Chess Masters on Stamps
• How You Can Bowl Better Using Self-Hypnosis

The book covers pictured on the site are also hilarious. Be sure to look at the cover of "Dead Pet": this has to be a joke!

Judging A Book

We all know that you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover. However, the cover does play an important role in catching your attention. The cover of this book annoys me every time I see it because it is so unappealing. Is this a cover that would make you want to pick it up and see what it is about? I think not. I was pleased to see the paperback version is a little more inspired. I have to give kudos to the designer of the book cover below. It catches my eye consistently. Can you figure out what is so odd about this face? I felt compelled to analyze the image until I did.

That Silly Tiger

I brought home yet another bagful of picture books for my son last night--thank goodness for the library! When we read The Tiger Who Came for Tea by Judith Kerr I was shocked at his reaction--uncontrollable falling down gasping for air giggling. It is rather cute when the tiger drinks directly from the teapot, but I didn't expect that kind of reaction. It was extremely satisfying to see him enjoying a book so much, but I was a bit jealous because I couldn't remember when I've had that kind of strong reaction to a book. David Sedaris does make me laugh out loud (though I have never fallen over), and on the flip-side Book Thief by Markus Zusak made me cry like a baby, but it just doesn't seem the same. Am I in a book rut? What books have you reacted strongly to? I'd love to hear from you.

Hidden Talents

I bet you didn't know that the Circulation Librarians are break-dancing fools. If you haven't caught one of their impromptu performances at the Circulation Desk, take a look here for some Christmas cheer.

Damned by Faint Praise

One of my co-workers made me laugh with her latest book review. We were talking about The Magicians by Lev Grossman, which was a huge literary hit this summer but met with mixed reviews here at the DPL. Her assessment was brief, "I didn't hate it."

Don't you just want to run out and read it now?

You Could Win a Twilight Basket

Enter the raffle to win this lovely gold gift basket with all four books in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Just fill out a slip at the Circulation Desk and drop it in the box by the basket. Its free and you could make someone very happy with this gift!

Ho, Ho, Ho

Join us this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2:00pm for a showing of the movie Four Christmases. The movie stars Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn as an upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple who find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation--and unable to escape--they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened... and their very future together uncertain.

All of our movies are free and open to the public. Click here to view a complete list of movies we will be showing.

Friends of the Library Christmas Booksale!

The Friends of the Dover Public Library will be holding a one-week Christmas Book and Gift Sale from December 14-18 adjacent to the library’s Main Desk.
A large selection of holiday-themed books will be available, priced from $1.00 to $3.00, and includes Christmas stories, decorating ideas and cookbooks. A varied assortment of Christmas music and carols on CD will also be for sale at just $1.00 each.
In addition, sturdy canvas “Dover Public Library” bookbags, Dover notecards, and 1888 reprint Dover maps are available and would make great gifts or stocking stuffers.
The Friends of the Dover Public Library always welcome new members to join their organization ($10 annually; or $7 for seniors). The group’s next meeting is Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 1pm in the Library Lecture Hall.

Cormac McCarthy's Typewriter Up for Auction

I just read in a New York Times article that Cormac McCarthy's Olivetti Lettera typewriter, the one that he wrote all of his writings to date on, is being auctioned off. "I HAVE TYPED ON THIS TYPEWRITER EVERY BOOK I HAVE WRITTEN INCLUDING THREE NOT YET PUBLISHED" Apparently after 46 years of use it is "showing signs of age." Cheap thing! So if you are still looking for that perfect holiday present for the literary type on your list look no further. The Christie's auction will take place this Friday, and they believe it will fetch between $15,000 and $20,000. Have no fear though Mr. McCarthy has a practically brand new Olivetti Lettera typewriter, and so the writing will continue.

Last Chance to Check Out Children's Books

The Children's Room is preparing to close for their new carpeting. There are still some Children's materials available for check out today. Bluebeary looks very sad that he won't be having any visitors tomorrow but the Children's librarians are hoping they will be able to open again Thursday afternoon. Please call before you come visit if you are planning on coming in Thursday!