Vol. 9; No. 41 November 15, 2007

OFF THE SHELF
A WEEKLY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Vol. 9; No. 41 November 15, 2007



QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Don't say the old lady screamed- just bring her on and let her scream."
Mark Twain



This week we are introducing a new and fun feature in Off the Shelf: an occasional column written by members of the Circulation Department. It follows below. Enjoy! Can you guess the identity of this week’s “Secret Circ-er”?


CIRC SECRETS (SHHH!)
It has occurred to those of us working at the circulation desk that we are very often the first to hear about a great book. We have been “in the know” about lots of books long before the real world has caught on. We love getting this frequent insider information from our patrons, appreciate their willingness to share, and readily admit that which we already knew – the customer is always right! We always keep these “patron recommended” titles in mind and add them to our already long list of books we want to read.

When we read these books, we often can’t wait to “pay it forward.” Is there any better feeling than sharing the title of a good book with someone? We usually do this by making recommendations to those patrons who are savvy enough to ask us at the circ desk. We thought it would be nice to occasionally share these tips with our Off the Shelf readers so here is our first installment of “Circ Secrets."

The first new discovery is Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin. This author looks so young we thought this was a debut novel, but after further investigation we discovered this is his fifth novel. After reading Chasing Fireflies many of us went back to his earlier books and read through them all. While his earlier books were pretty good reads, this latest book is by far his best and we can’t wait to see where he goes from here. If you enjoy rich characters and a clean, “can’t put it down” writing style ---give this one a try.

The next title is Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. This is a wonderful story about a small town (and all the delightful eccentrics living there), an enchanted tree, two very different sisters, and a garden full of edible flowers with special powers. It may sound a bit fanciful on the surface but this story has substance and is absolutely captivating. We look forward to her next book.

The next two books were published a while ago so you may have already heard of them but we feel they are worth mentioning in case you ignored the early signs. Yes, we were talking about these books long before your book club chose them for the book of the month! They are Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and The Widow’s War by Sally Gunning. These books, both fiction, are excellent stories.

Water for Elephants is the story of a veterinary student, an equestrian star, a stubborn gray elephant and life with the circus during the Great Depression. The Widow’s War is an historical fiction which demonstrates the harsh reality that the lack of human rights afforded widows in 18th century New England. This book is not just for women. It is for anyone who enjoys a well-written story based on historical fact. We found it very eye-opening and a great springboard for discussion.

We enjoy sharing our secrets. Feel free to join those already in the know, and let us in on one of YOUR secrets. Future plans for Circ Secrets include “Not-So-Secret Staff Picks” and “The Best Kept Secret-Young Adult Fiction”.

Keep reading and sharing! Bye for now – The Secret Circ-er!



SPEAKING OF GREAT BOOKS…
Skip the Mall and shop at the Library! The Friends Holiday Gift Store offers new books at great prices for adults and children. It's a fast and easy way to pick up great gifts for friends and family. The Holiday Gift store will be opening next week, and will be located directly across from the Circulation Desk. All proceeds support the programs and services of the Library. So do your holiday shopping, and help the Library, too!

Here are a few of the great books that will be for sale:

FOR KIDS:
The Dangerous Book for Boys
Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World by Craig Hatkoff
Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide by Ryder Windham
Let It Snow by Hollie Hobbie

FOR ADULTS:
Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets To Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld
I Am America (and So Can You!)by Stephen Colbert
Best Boston Sports Arguments by Jim Caple
Knowledge Book: Everything You Need to Know to Get by in the 21st Century
by National Geographic Society Staff

AND LOTS MORE!



WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS
Wouldn’t now be a GREAT time to join the Friends? It’s easy to do. Just go to their new updated Membership page
http://www.readingpl.org/membership.html
It’s now possible to pay your membership fee online, in addition to the traditional mail-in method. Say thanks for all the Friends do for the community, the Library, and for you!



NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNERS
On March 15, 1950, a consortium of book publishing groups sponsored the first annual National Book Awards Ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Their goal was to enhance the public's awareness of exceptional books written by Americans, and to increase the popularity of reading in general.

Since then, The National Book Awards have become the nation's preeminent literary prize. Today, the Awards are given to recognize achievements in four genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. The Winners, selected by five-member, independent judging panels for each genre, receive a $10,000 cash award and a bronze sculpture. The 2007 Winners were announced last evening in New York City. The envelope, please:

Fiction: Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
FIC Johnson
A sweeping novel about two American families swept up in the secrets and lies of the Vietnam War.

Nonfiction: Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner 327.1273 WEI
The author examined more than 50,000 documents and interviewed hundreds of C.I.A. veterans for this book, a critical history of C.I.A. failures.

Poetry: Time and Materials by Robert Hass
This is the first new collection of poems by Robert Hass in over a decade. Mr. Hass is a former Poet Laureate of the United States, a MacArthur Fellow, and a two-time winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Young People's Literature: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
TEEN FICTION ALE
Based on the his own experiences, this first young adult novel by bestselling author Sherman Alexie, is the story of a 14-year-old Spokane Indian boy who leaves his poverty-stricken reservation school and moves to a wealthy, all-white school.

Last night’s ceremony marked the 58th year that the National Book Awards have been presented.



WEBSITES OF THE WEEK
If you have been out shopping this week, you know that holiday decorations are already in the stores. Here’s some helpful websites that will help you choose gifts for kids that are both fun and safe.

2007 "10 WORST TOYS" LIST
http://www.toysafety.org/worstToyList_index.html
See what not to give this Christmas! World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.), a Massachusetts charitable non-profit corporation, exposes potentially dangerous toys to the general public.

For the List of Top Holiday Safety Tips from the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07032.html

And to find the best toys for children with special needs, try the AblePlay site at:
http://www.ableplay.org/.



BOOKS, MOVIES, AND MORE
To see the list of library materials purchased this month, follow this link:
http://www.readingpl.org/lists.html


WHAT’S HAPPENING @ YOUR LIBRARY!
All events listed take place at the Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, unless otherwise noted.

Friday, November 16: Infant Toddler Sing-along. with Peter Sheridan. No registration necessary. Sponsored by the Friends of the Reading Public Library. 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday, November 21: Library closes at 5:00 p.m. today

Thursday, November 22: Library Closed for Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 27: Word of Mouth. Informal monthly discussion of what people have been reading lately 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.



That’s all for now,



Elizabeth Dickinson
Assistant Director



LIBRARY HOURS
Mondays 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Tuesdays 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursdays 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Fridays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.