Success!

I am happy to report that reading is alive and well in Dover! The Summer Reading Programs are over for another year, and I think they were an enormous success, but you be the judge. We had a total of 590 kids participate. The youngest group, 5 & 6 year olds, read a total of 500 books, while all other age groups read for a whopping 1,755 hours. I think that they deserve a virtual round of applause--well done!

Party Planning for the Walking Un-Dead and the (over 21) fans who love them

At the risk of pushing our patrons' vampire obsession one step closer to “beyond out-of-control,” I would like to recommend a great new drink for your next Sookie Soiree or Eclipse-a-thon, (where you watch both movies back to back, twice - not that I’ve done that). Unlike those crazy concoctions you get when you google “vampire drinks” (okay, maybe I did that once) this libation is an actual drink. It’s called the Sookie Cocktail and it has been around for so long it actually made it in to A.J. Rathbun’s excellent reference book for mixologists , Good Spirits (page 188). It’s a nutty combination of bourbon, macadamia nut liquor, and a splash of OJ, perfect for a meeting of the “Dead in Dover” Book Club (not that I would ever belong to a book club with a name like that). So, put down the Bloodbath (red wine, Chambord and cranberry juice) yuck! For goodness sake, would any self-respecting cocktail waitress (vampire or not) serve someone such a thing, and give your guests a proper drink, even if, technically, it isn’t named after our Sookie, it’s still hands down better than a Bloody-Bud (beer and Grenadine) not that I ever tried that.

PARTY TIME!

A party for all readers enrolled in the summer reading program will be held Wednesday, August 11 from 10:30-12:00.
After refreshments, Tom Stankus (or "T-Bone" to his audiences) will entertain us with his show @ 10:45 a.m. on the library lawn. "T-Bone" will have everyone clapping, dancing, and singing to his musical performance.
"I love making people happy, especially children," says
T-Bone, " and it is particularly satisfying when my audiences feel that they are the most important part of the show. Which they are."
Please join us as we "Make a Splash" celebrating your summer reading!

Share These Books With Your Teenager

Flashlight Worthy has put together a nice list of Teen books that also make good reading for adults. Remember Harry Potter? All ages enjoyed those. I don't even have a teenager in the house and I loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (sort of a futuristic Survivor competition) and Fire by Kristin Cashore (a young girl must hide her powers to protect herself and others). These books are so good adults are snatching them up too.The Hunger Games has a cult following of eager readers that are counting the minutes until the third book comes out. Don't miss out on some exciting reads just because they are labeled for teens!

Looking for a Thrilling Book?

Make sure to peruse NPR's list of the top 100 thrillers, as chosen by NPR listeners.

The tops picks were:

1. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

3. Kiss the Girls, by James Patterson

4. The Bourne Identity, by Robert Ludlum

5. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote

6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown

7. The Shining, by Stephen King

8. And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie

9. The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy 

10. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I have to admit the winning entry, Silence of the Lambs, is the only book that ever caused me to leave the lights on. However, Hell House by Richard Matheson is the only book that actually made the hair rise on the back of my neck.

What is the most thrilling book you have read?

Don't Be A Wimp--Come To Our Movie

Our last summer Monday Movie Matinee will be held this Monday, August 9th @ 2:00pm in the Library Lecture Hall, and will feature The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The movie is based on the books by Jeff Kinney, and is rated PG. We will resume our Saturday Matinees this fall beginning on Sept. 11th @ 2:00pm with Under the Mountain, rated PG13. A complete fall movie listing is coming soon--stay tuned!

Boys, Boogies & Books

What does it say about me if I brought home a book home for my 3 year old son, and he was grossed out by it and I thought it was hilarious (& cute)? The book in question is Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo by E. S. Redmond. Felicity Floo takes a trip to the zoo, even though she has a terrible cold, and she fails to bring tissues. She touches all the animals and leaves slimy, green hand-prints on them, and, of course, they all come down with colds. The hand prints are done with shiny green ink, and seem to jump off the page. It is a funny, cute story about the value of hygiene, with a few boogies (well actually quite a few of them) thrown in for good measure. The illustrations are wonderful, and Felicity is adorable despite her green hands and red nose. "Mama, I don't like that book Felicity puts her boogie hands on everything"--you just never know with those boys!

Lisbeth would not be amused...

... by this wonderful parody of Steig Larsson's Millennium trilogy. It's by Nora Ephron, entitled "The Girl Who Fixed the Umlaut" and appeared in The New Yorker.

Hilarious!

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2010/07/05/100705sh_shouts_ephron

A Gift of Magazines

Thanks to a generous donation from a kind patron we have been able to re-order magazines that we lost in last year’s budget cuts. Fans of UTNE Reader, Woodsmith, New England Home, and the Whole Dog Journal should be sure to check for the new issues. They’re back!

2 part-time positions open in the Children's Room!

Many of you who are customers of our Children's Room will be dismayed to learn that we are losing one of our long-term (almost 23 years!), part-time library assistants. Sarah Hydorn will be leaving us August 11 to become the full-time Children's Librarian at the Amherst (NH) Public Library. We are thrilled for Sarah, of course, but will sorely miss her enthusiasm, extensive talents and her children's literature expertise in Dover. Please join us in wishing Sarah all the best in her new position!

As a result, we are creating two (2) new part-time positions in the Children's Room, encompassing Sarah's former hours. Here's officially what we'll need in a new DPL employee:

2 Part-time Library Assistants I, Children’s Room Circulation Desk:
Average 12 hours/week: rotating weekly schedule includes some morning, afternoon, evening, and Saturday hours (availability for occasional extra subbing a plus).

We are looking for 2 people with an extensive knowledge of children’s literature, a background (academic degree or practical experience) in early childhood education, well-developed customer relations skills, artistic or graphic design ability, and familiarity with computer technology. Public library experience not required, but highly desirable.

Duties include checking library materials in and out, registering new borrowers, providing readers’ advisory services and guidance in locating library materials, and assisting patrons in the use of computer workstations and Internet access. Duties may also include creating displays & materials to promote reading, and conducting preschool story times.

Hourly rate starts at $12.09. Position is open until filled. Starting date: early to mid-September. Benefits include vacation, holiday and sick leave on a proportional basis.

Applications may be picked up at the City Manager’s Office at City Hall, or downloaded at http://tiny.cc/on3id. A full job description is available at the Children’s Room Circulation Desk, or can be viewed at http://www.dover.nh.gov/employment.htm. All completed applications must be returned to the City Manager’s Office or mailed to:
Employment
Office of the City Manager
City of Dover
288 Central Avenue
Dover, NH 03820
(Completed applications may not be faxed or emailed.)

Remembering Ramona, part 2

Ramona the Pest fans should be sure to look at NPR's interview with her creator, author Beverly Cleary. Did you know, "When Cleary created the character Ramona, she thought of a little girl from her childhood who lived in a house behind hers in Portland, Oregon. She remembers the day she saw the little girl on the sidewalk."She had been sent to the neighborhood store for a pound of butter," says Cleary. "In those days, it was all in one piece, not in cubes. And she had opened the butter and was eating it."

Mockingjay Coming Soon!

The official "Blog Tour" for Mockingjay, the last book in Suzanne Collin's wildly popular Hunger Games series, begins on Monday, August 2, and there is a blog stop for each of the 13 districts represented in the book. The book will be released on August 24th--place your hold today. You can see a line-up of the blogs on the official Hunger Games Facebook page. Also on the Facebook page is a sampling of different international covers for Hunger Games--I particularly like Germany's version.

Art Display

We have a wonderful art exhibit currently on display--watercolors by Dan Carrell. Most are beautiful local settings of the ocean, boats, and lighthouses. The display will be up through August so do come by and take a look.

How To Improve Jane Austen

For those of you who believe Jane Austen would have written the perfect novels if only they had more action, more, well...violence, I have the solution. Take a look at this laugh out loud literary mash-up called Jane Austen's Fight Club. Make sure you aren't drinking any tea or you may snort it out all over your keyboard. There are moments of almost Pythonesque humor in this video.

Just remember, "No corsets, no hatpins and no crying."

Lucky Winners

On Friday we drew names for the Teen Summer Reading mid-way prize packs. I love doing the drawings, and making the phone calls--winners are so excited. Here are the lucky winners:

***6 Pool Passes to the Jenny Thompson or Indoor Pool & 2 Large Pizzas at Kendall Pond Pizza---Winners Erin Gibbons & Alex Chase

***10 Free Games of Mini Golf at Hilltop Fun Center & a $20 Gift Certificate to Strafford Farms--Winner Kristin Durham

***6 Day Passes to the Works & a $20 Gift Certificate to La Festa Pizzeria--Winners Ava Dobson & Laura Coppinger

Congratulations! If you didn't win you still have a chance for the gift certificates for iTunes and Target which will be drawn on August 11th at 9:00am--good luck.

Saving Money

I had to share this wonderful blog post with you from Serendipity's Guide to Saving: a Girl in Her Early Twenties Figuring Out Her Finances and Life In General. She had my grateful attention with her first line "As a young girl, some of the fondest memories involve me, my dad and a library". The same was true for me, only it was my wonderful mom who would pack up her three girls and drive us into the big city to replenish our stacks of books. Serendipity has a fabulous list of 9 different ways you can save money by using your library, she didn't list all the ways that libraries can save you money, but it is a good start. She points out you can save on iTunes by checking out the music collection, save on DVD rentals, magazine subscriptions, and of course, books. Her library has a branch with a museum in it which the DPL can't offer, but we do have a terrific historical room, and museum passes for discounted or free visits to 15 New England museums. Check it out!

Autobiography of a Cover

I just read an interesting article in Publishers Weekly titled "Autobiography of a Cover." The article focused on Sara Shepard's new series The Lying Game (not out until December). Sara Shepard is a wildly -popular teen author best known for her Pretty Little Liars series. I'm not sure what is up with her obsession with lying, but the kids love her. The publishers want to make sure that fans of Pretty Little Liars get on board with The Lying Game, and so they have put a lot of money and effort into the covers, which they consider the majority of the advertising for a book. The article describes the photo shoot, all the different people involved (two editors, an art director, and five staffers), and the final price tag--$26,000! Do you think that they are trying to get us to judge a book by its cover?

What's Your Best?

My son's daycare is having Book Day which is when they can each bring in there favorite book to share with the class. He refers to his favorite things as his best, and so he is puzzling over which book is his best. This has made me think about which book is my best--what would I take in to share with others? I haven't come up with an answer because I have books that I love that are in different categories--mystery, historical fiction, non-fiction, adventure.... and it doesn't seem fair to make them compete with one another. I have come up with one of my best summer reads-- Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. It might be time to give this a reread. What's your best?

Believe It Or Not

Did you know a Dover house was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not in 1940? Next time you drive down Silver Street look for the house that has a window in the middle of its chimney.  The house was run as a convalescent home in the mid-1930s by  a nurse called Rhoda Comiskey. It is a private home now.

I wonder why they put a window in the middle of a chimney?

Remembering Ramona

Have you seen the previews for Ramona and Beezus, which opens this Friday? I have mixed feelings about it. The actresses look way too pretty and their relationship too loving. I remember Beezus and Ramona being a bit more antagonistic to each other, but I admit it has been about 30 years since I read them. Anyway, in honor of the fondness I have for these terrific books from my childhood- every kid should read them- I will share this fun little quiz. Its only 11 questions and it is a walk down memory lane. I remembered Ramona's doll's name she thought was soooo beautiful...

How I think Ramona and Beezus should look versus how Hollywood sees them.

Do You Need Another Reason to Come to the Library?

Free access to books, magazines, newspaper, DVDs, music CDs, audio books, Summer Reading Programs, and Wi-Fi all in a kind of sorta air conditioned building--not enough? How about the "Free Teen Book Raffle" in which teens can enter to win one or all of the following book bundles: The Mod Girl, The Comics, The Vampires, or The Sci-Fi/Fantasy? The drawing will be held on July 30th. Free books--can't beat that!

Women Shoppers Take Over!

Did you ever wonder why Best Buy flourished while Circuit City folded? Why make-up buyers prefer Sephora to department store counters? Why some malls fail while others thrive? Why hotel chains decorated with earth tones and curvy furnishings have higher occupancy rates? Why the traditional chain drug store, which sold primarily pharmaceutical or health items, has evolved into today’s modern version of a “General Store”, selling such a plethora of items? The answer, according to “the Sherlock Homes of retailers” Paco Underhill, is WOMEN!

Underhill is a consultant to major retailers looking to gain more customers and his firm, Envirosell, concentrates on improving physical arrangements, displays, lighting, packaging and overall design of stores. His first two books, “Why We Buy” and “The Call of the Mall”, were wildly successful and I made a point to hear him speak a couple years ago at a library conference I attended in Seattle. (He had many interesting ideas about public library layouts too.)

Paco’s new book is “What Women Want: the Global Market Turns Female Friendly” and contains a wealth of anecdotal and scientific information about the buying power of females in today’s economy and what attracts women to certain retail establishments. It’s really fun reading! Any shop owner would be wise to consult this book for its shrewd observations and practical applications relating to getting female traffic into a store. “What Women Want” is not only useful, it’s entertaining and thought-provoking for anyone who shops! Highly recommended!

FREE MOVIES!!!

The library's Movie Mondays continue, and here is the line-up:

**Mon., July 19: Garfield's Pet Force, rated G.
**Mon., July 26: Space Buddies, rated G.
**Mon., Aug. 2: The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, rated PG.
**Mon., Aug. 9: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, rated PG.

All movies are shown in the library lecture hall, and yes they are free.

St. Swithin's Day

David Nicholl's has been getting a lot of press for his new novel One Day. The premise is that two former lovers, Emma and Dexter, revisit their relationship once a year on St. Swithin's Day, July 15. The book is already being made into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. Take a look at the New York Times Book Review for a more complete story of the book. Hmmm.... I wonder what they will be doing today.

Altered Book Art

One of the librarians is fond of expressing her opinion on current events by temporarily altering a book jacket. If you have been following this blog for a while you will recall her work in defense of Michelle Obama's fashion choice. Mel Gibson's recent behavior has inspired her artistic impulses again. He would do well to take the hint.

Get Creative

Chocolate zucchini cake showed up on our staff room table the other day--you know what that means--zucchini overload. I personally love zucchini, but you can definitely have too much of a good thing. We have plenty of cookbooks that will give you a multitude of creative ways to cook zucchini such as:

**Zucchini with mushroom stuffing and wine sauce in Oven-Baked Vegetarian Dishes by Gabriele Redden
**Zucchini pan fried sage-scented pancakes (yum!) in Vegetables: The Most Authoritative Guide to Buying, Preparing and Cooking with More than 300 Recipes by James Peterson
**Zucchini oven ratatouille in The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen
**And of course the Zucchini Chocolate Cake (double yum) in Farmer's Market Cook Book by Better Homes and Gardens

Enjoy!

Charming Billy

I don't know what it is about William Shatner. Every time I set out the audiobook of his biography, Up Till Now, someone checks it out. This time it was on display for less than an hour before someone checked it out. We have had the audiobook for over two years so this is not a new phenomenon. William Shatner narrates which absolutely makes the book. The story of his life is so much more enjoyable with the authentic staccato  speech pattern that he is famous for, and mocks himself for in the book. I got a kick out of Shatner's irreverent style, his wise-cracking good humor, and love of practical jokes. If you are looking for an amusing audiobook, give this one a listen.

Make Waves at Your Library

It is not too late to join the Teen Summer Reading Program so if you are in 6th through 12th grade come on in! Here a few of the amazing prizes that you could win:

***6 Pool Passes to the Jenny Thompson Pool or the Indoor Pool & 2 Large Pizzas at Kendall Pond Pizza
***10 Free Games of Mini Gold at Hilltop Fun Center & a $20 Gift Certificate to Strafford Farms
***6 Day Passes to The Works (includes the pool) & a $20 Gift Certificate to La Festa Pizzeria
***$25 iTunes Gift Card
***$25 Target Gift Card

Someone is going to win these prizes, it might as well be you.

A Cover to Get Lost In

It was a hot and busy morning at the Circulation Desk today. When I saw the jacket on this book it stopped me in my tracks. I just wanted to fall into the still and icy image. Someone else must have thought so too since Lost was checked out again right away . I am nominating it for best cover of the day.

Medium Raw

I have a love/hate relationship with Anthony Bourdain--he doesn't know so please don't tell him. I find his books entertaining, but I also think that he is a brash, obnoxious individual. He has a new book out called Medium Raw: a bloody valentine to the world of food and the people who cook--see what I mean isn't that an obnoxious title? Anyhow, my husband loves him and is trying to sway my attitude towards the love end. He has suggested I listen to a recent interview with him on Talk of the Nation because he thinks he has "mellowed out". Still not convinced but I do find him highly entertaining and strange.

Gundalows in Dover

Have you visited the Captain Edward H. Adams gundalow docked in Henry Law Park? Gundalows have a long history in Dover.

During the 18th century, gundalows carried raw materials and finished goods back and forth to Portsmouth and the population of the “Village of Cochecho” gradually grew to the same size of that at Dover Point. Dover boatyards built small schooners and enterprising men like Michael Reade made fortunes in the lumber business. By the end of the 18th century, Dover Landing had a bakery, a tavern, retail stores, a clock maker, a newspaper (The Sun), a distillery, a tannery, a hardware store, and a dram shop.

By 1810, ten gundalows were in constant use on the river. Each could carry over 30 tons of cargo and could come up to the landing at half-tide. Over a dozen brickyards were prospering, using the good clay from the riverbanks here and firing their kilns with the 30,000 tons of cordwood that were delivered annually. Small packets also regularly sailed to Portsmouth, Portland, and Boston, although they could only reach Dover Landing at high tide.

New Cochecho Reader Nominees Announced

The new list of nominees for the Cochecho Readers' Award is ready-- just in time for summer reading!

The Cochecho Readers' Award is sponsored by the Children's Librarians of Dover, New Hampshire. This award, named after the Cochecho River which runs through the heart of Dover, is given each year to an author whose book receives the most votes from third and fourth graders in Dover. The criteria for selection are quality of writing and child appeal. Children are required to read or listen to at least three of the titles on the list in order to vote for their favorite in the Spring.

Click here for the new 2010-11 nominees list and start reading!

Go Local--Read Local

I was suprised to learn recently that the author from one of my favorite books from this year's Isinglass list (recommended books for 7th and 8th graders) is a local gal--yeah! Megan Frazer, author of The Secrets of Truth and Beauty, is from Madbury. So support the "Go Local" movement and check out this book. Here is the description:

When Dara Cohen was little, she was a bright, shiny star. She was the cutest seven-year-old who ever sang Ella Fitzgerald, and it was no wonder she was crowned Little Miss Maine.That was then. Now Dara's seventeen and she's not so little anymore. So not little, that when her classmates find out about her illustrious resume, their jaws drop. That's just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won’t get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives. When a disastrously misinterpreted English project lands her in the counselor’s office--and her parents pull her out of school to save face--Dara realizes she has a decision to make. She can keep following the rules and being misunderstood, or she can finally reach out to the sister she’s never met--a sister who lives on a collective goat farm in Massachusetts. Dara chooses B. What follows is a summer of revelations, some heartbreaking, some joyous; of friendship, romance, a local beauty pageant; and choices. And as autumn approaches, Dara finds she may have to let go of everything she's taken for granted in order to figure out who she really is, and what family really means.

Choosing a Book for Its Cover

We have often commented here on the importance of book covers. Right or wrong, it is frequently what leads us to pick up a book and consider reading it. The AIGA Nation Design Center has just released its choices for the best book covers of 2009, selected from over 800 entries. It is an interesting collection of books jackets. I would be curious to see which book jackets readers would have selected from the 800 entries. Many of the 50 winners would not inspire me to pick up a book. Yes, they are visually striking but as a reader only a few pique my interest. Frankenstein, Spent, The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, Healing of America, The Craftsman, and Why You Should Read Kafka Before You Waste Your Life, are the only ones that I would investigate further.
 
What do you think? Do you have a favorite cover amongst the winners?

Gone With The Wind

 

Dover was hit with another severe storm last night and once again the winds toppled trees around the Library. There was no damage to the building, thank goodness.

 

Slow Down

First there was the Slow Food Movement and now could there be a Slow Reading Movement? UNH Professor Thomas Newkirk hopes so. In a recent article in the Foster's Daily Democrat Prof. Newkirk makes a case for slowing down and reading a book thoughtfully. He mentions how accelerated reading goes along with current lifestyles of instant messaging, text messaging, and tweeting where everything happens quickly. This has really made me think about my own reading habits--I do sometimes race through a book because it is sooo good, and I need to know what happens. Is that bad? I have been known to skim a book when it becomes a bit repetitive. Is that bad? Unfair to the author who may have anguished over each sentence? I completely understand where Prof. Newkirk is coming from, but there are some books that I just cannot read slow--sorry.

The Mystery of the Maimed Audiobook

Most of our  patrons are responsible and gentle with the Library's audiobooks. There are the occasional scratches that you just have to expect with heavy use. Then there are the CDs that come back to us gouged, cracked, spotted, even melted. I always wonder what people are doing with our audiobooks to damage them so severely. Sometimes we have a guessing game at the desk- used as a drinks coaster, used as a Frisbee, tap-danced on, used in a chemical experiment, microwaved, are some of the suggestions. One patron said while he would never do this to a library audiobook, he occasionally will fling a CD into the back of his car when he is done with it.

I think the title of the latest victim of carelessness says it all.

It's Too Late CT

It's too late CT--those publishers could not keep their "ink-stained fingers" away from Laura Ingalls Wilder!
Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Bell (for ages 12 & up) just arrived at DPL. The story is about Genevieve, a not too happy 13- year-old, who has to spend the entire summer with her family "living like 1890 pioneers" at a frontier camp.
Gen keeps her sanity by secretly text messaging friends (with a cell phone that she sneaked in) about her daily life on this "Little Hell on the Prairie". Her friends then use her messages to start a blog that attracts national attention.
Take heart CT, at least it wasn't about a Zombie!

Is Louisa May Alcott the Next Jane Austen?

Poor Jane Austen has been so parodied and borrowed from that we were able to create a whole bookmark of books inspired by her novels. That doesn't even include all the literary mash ups. Now it looks like it is Louisa May Alcott's turn. I noticed Oprah's summer reading list include a book called The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. Then when I passed through our office I saw a new book titled Little Women and Werewolves. Oh, please is nothing sacred? All I can say is publishers better keep their ink stained fingers off Laura Ingalls Wilder. I really don't want to see any books called Little Zombie on the Prairie.

Surprising History of the Children's Museum Building

Did you know that the Children's Museum of New Hampshire building used to be an armory? Dover’s Armory was formally opened November 25, 1930. It was built in 1930 to house Battery B, 197th Regiment, Coast Artillery Anti Aircraft (AA) of the New Hampshire National Guard. The building was described as thoroughly modern with every up to date convenience. The building was constructed of brick with ornamental stonework. The central feature of the building was the drill shed, which had a floor space of 60 by 90 feet. The northeast corner of the building had a gun room for the anti-aircraft gun. “The floor is on a level with the main floor, but is of concrete, sunk to a depth halfway between that of the basement and the street floor, with wide doors through which the anti-aircraft gun mounted on its truck may be run in. And by a clever arrangement of doors opening out into the drill shed on the north end of the room, the muzzle of the gun may be pointed through the opening thus made and drill with the gun, sighting at a target hung on one of the steel girders in the drill shed”.

In 1962 the Dover Recreation Department acquired the armory and turned it into Butterfield Gym. In 2008, the renovated building was rented to the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire.

Hell Has Frozen Over!

Neil Young is the latest celebrity to jump on the graphic novel band wagon. Greendale is a fictional town that he created on his 2003 album, and this is what the graphic novel, Neil Young's Greendale, is based on. The novel was written by Joshua Dysart and Mr. Young was bound and determined to get Cliff Chiang as the illustrator. Mr. Young was told that Mr. Chiang's schedule was booked for for quite awhile, but he sent him an email that said he would wait "until hell froze over." I guess you can say that kind of stuff when you are Neil Young, and people will listen. So as you can guess Cliff Chiang illustrated the novel--he spent almost 2 years on it. You can read a great article about it on the New York Times book section. I have ordered a copy for the library so be sure to look for it.

What Do You Do With a Garlic Scape?

Farmers' Markets are officially open! The Dover Market is now located in the Chamber of Commerce parking lot at the corner of Central Ave. & Sixth St. and will be open on Wednesdays from 2:15 to 6:00--be sure to visit them and support your local farmers. You can find a listing of who will be at the market on the Seacoast Growers Association web site. Of course now that you have access to beautiful, local produce how do you prepare it? Visit the library and check out one of our wonderful cookbooks that will inspire you to cook amazing, delicious, and healthy meals. Here are a few examples of what you will find:

• The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook by Andrea Chesman
• How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by Russ Parsons
• Melissa's Great Book of Produce: Everything You Need to Know about Fresh Fruits and Vegetables by Cathy Thomas
• Vegetable Love: Vegetables delicious, alone or with pasta, seafood poultry, meat and more by Barbara Kafka
  
  By the way garlic scapes are the very yummy flower stem of the garlic plant, and I highly recommend them in a stir-fry.
  

Non-Resident Student Card Fee Being Reduced!

Dover is fortunate to have several excellent parochial and charter schools in our city, along with our five public schools. Many of the students at the private schools, however, are not residents of the city and thus do not qualify for a free library card. They must pay for what's called a Non-Resident Student Card.

But, we're happy to report that, as of July 1, 2010, the fee for a non-resident student attending Portsmouth Christian Academy at Dover, St. Mary Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, or the Cocheco Arts & Technology Academy will be lowered from $150 annually to $80, an almost 47% reduction in price. A half-year non-resident student card will be $50 (a 38% decrease). These students often use our library for research or as an afterschool hangout and we're pleased to be able to offer our services more affordably to these elementary and high school age patrons! For more information, call 516-6050.

Library Meeting Room Use is Free for Non-Profit Orgs!

With passage of the FY'11 municipal budget, the City Council also approved a new Fee Schedule for city departments. We're very happy to report that, at the recommendation of the Library Director, the fee for non-profit organizations to use the two meeting rooms (Trustees Room or Lecture Hall) at the Dover Public Library has been removed! As of July 1, 2010, we'd like to welcome back---for free!---all those local non-profit groups and organizations who could no afford to meet at the library when we started charging a fee.

There is still a per-use-fee for profit-making organizations ($30 for the Trustees Room; $60 for the Lecture Hall), but all non-profits, many struggling with fundraising to stay afloat, may book meeting rooms for free once again at the DPL!

How do you book a meeting room? Well, first a representative of the group must come in and fill out an Application, then it's first come, first serve for the rooms. If you can book way ahead, you'll probably get the day and time you wish. And as they say, certain other restrictions apply and we can fill you in on the rules! Call the Circulation Desk 516-6050 for more information on this service.

When Stephen King Talks, People Listen

I am so done with vampires. They are on TV, in half the books that come out, and the movies, enough already! So when I heard that the must read summer blockbuster book was The Passage by Justin Cronin, I decided to give it a miss. The story line describes a virus sweeping the world, almost destroying civilization by turning people into super human vampire-like beings called Virals. A six year old girl holds the key to defeating them. Then I saw the interview with the author on Good Morning America. Stephen King interrupted the interview by telephone. His voice came from above a very shocked Justin Cronin, like a god with post nasal drip,  praising the book, saying Cronin has put the scare back in vampires and he couldn't think of a better book to read in summer. Its worth watching the video just to see the stunned look on Cronin's face.

The Passage does have interesting post-apocalyptic elements I always love. The author is being compared to Michale Crichton, Robert McCammon, Cormac McCarthy, and of course, Stephen King. His writing is described as lyrical, enthralling, terrifying, entertaining, and deeply satisfying. I think I will have to give it a try.

Summer Reading Programs Just Around the Corner

Summer Reading Programs for Children and Teens begin July 6 at the Dover Public Library

“Make a Splash…Read” is the theme for this year’s Children’s Summer Reading Program. This five-week reading adventure is for children ages 5-12 and will begin on Tuesday, July 6 and continue through Tuesday, August 10. The program is designed to encourage children to make reading an enjoyable part of their summer activities.

Sign-ups begin on Tuesday, July 6 and continue throughout the summer for Dover Public Library cardholders (including non-resident borrowers). Children must come to the library in person to register and to receive their personal booklet or reading log in which to record the books/minutes they read. All participants will also receive a book bag, a bookmark, and a voucher for a free ticket to a Portland Seadogs baseball game!

During the summer program, children are invited to make a new craft each week at our “Make-it, Take-it” Craft Table. The table will be available for creating projects all day, every day during the five weeks. Children will bring in their booklets or reading logs (after recording books/minutes read) to earn stickers and prizes.

The library’s Monday Matinees will feature free first-run movies in the Lecture Hall every Monday afternoon at 2pm beginning on July 12. Here is the line-up:
· The Lightning Thief, July 12, rated PG.
· Garfield’s Pet Force, July 19, not rated.
· Space Buddies, July 26, rated G.
· Spongebob Squarepants: The Movie, Aug. 2, rated PG.
· Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Aug. 9, rated PG.
Everyone is welcome! Feel free to bring your own refreshments!

Participants are also invited to sign up for a “Paws for Reading” session. Goldie, a Certified Therapy Dog, and her handler, Karen, will be in the Children’s Room on Saturday, July 10 from 10:30-11:30am, Tuesday, July 20 from 6:30-7:30pm, and Saturday, August 7 from 10:30-11:30am. Goldie loves a good story but needs someone to read it to her! If interested in helping Goldie and practicing reading aloud, sign up for a 15 minute reading session during one of these times (and don’t forget to cross off 15 minutes on your reading log or record the book you’ve read to Goldie in your reading folder!).

Also, all participants and their families are invited to “Make a Splash” at our final celebration. The Summer Readers’ Party will be held on the library lawn on Wednesday, August 11 at 10:30am. After refreshments, children's entertainer Tom Stankus (or T-Bone to his audiences) will have everyone clapping, dancing and singing to his music. “I love making people happy, especially children,” says T-Bone, “and it is particularly satisfying when my audiences feel that they are the most important part of the show--which they are.”

The Teen Summer Reading Program theme is “Make Waves at Your Library” and also runs from July 6 to August 10. For every two hours of reading completed, participants will be given a raffle ticket—and will get to choose which prize to put in for. Lots of great prizes will be offered throughout the five-week program—including gift certificates to local business, fun-pack gift bags, iTunes gift certificates, and much more.

You choose what to read—novels, magazines, graphic novels, comic books, nonfiction—whatever you might enjoy.

Middle school readers are eligible participate in both the Children’s Program and the Teen Program. Drop by the library’s reference desk to sign up for the “Make Waves” Teen Program, visit online at http://library.dover.nh.gov, or call 516-6082. Come in person to the Children’s Room to sign up for “Make a Splash…Read” or call 516-6052. Don’t miss all the fun! Plus, it’s a proven fact: kids who keep reading over the summer do better in school in the fall!

More Twilight

The new Twilight novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is currently available for free online--here is what the official web site is saying: "Welcome to BreeTanner.com – the official site where you can read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner for FREE – a special gift from Stephenie Meyer to her fans." The free version is available through July 5th so you don't have much time. The library has ordered the book version, but it is not here yet and is sure to have a waiting list. Here is the description of the novella:

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

Skip the Hummus

I read an article in Publishers Weekly magazine yesterday, titled "Into the Studio", about the process of recording an audio book. It was an interesting article, but I was particularly taken with the story of Kathy Lee Gifford's stomach. Apparently, the microphone in the studio is highly sensitive and can pick up "jaw clicks, breath, the rustle of paper, and pretty much everything that emanates the {the actors}" bodies." Too much information? Nah...they went on to tell the story of Kathy Lee Gifford and how she had eaten hummus before one of her recording sessions and her stomach was gurgling something fierce. They used a "trick of the trade" and put a pillow under her shirt to muffle the sound. It doesn't sound so glamorous anymore does it? I am going to be paying extra attention next time I listen to an audio book!

Wild Visitors to the Library

Our Serviceberry Tree at the back of the Library has produced a bumper crop of berries. We noticed a lot of activity in the tree and found three bold Cedar Waxwings were busily harvesting the berries, ignoring the crowd of curious faces on the other side of the window. Make sure to take a look if you walk through the parking lot. They are very handsome birds.

We also had a not so handsome visitor the other day. Our custodian found a small brown bat had become trapped in the building. He was escorted outside.

You just never know who will visit the library next!