Alliance Public Library Blog

We have officially moved!

2010-09-09T13:51:00.000-06:00

We have officially moved our blog content over to our new website at http://libraries.ne.gov/alliance through our participation in the Nebraska Libraries on the Web project. My posts can now be read on our homepage by following the above link.

In addition to the blog, I have included a number of additional resources on the new site, such as an interactive calendar, reader's advisory pages, a kids page and much more. Hope to see you there!

In Memory of Kathie Bixby

2010-09-08T14:04:00.003-06:00

The book Like No Other Place: The Sandhills of Nebraska by David A. Owens has been donated to our collection by Jim Cody in memory of Kathie Bixby, who is warmly thanked by the author in his acknowledgements.

Like No Other Place offers a candid and hauntingly beautiful portrait of the Nebraska Sandhills and the families that live and work in their craddle of natural beauty. Mr. Owens spent a number of years living in the Sandhills in order to capture the true essence of a place that he describes as "an area so in and of itself . . . that history and culture and the people who live and work there remain very organic to the place." In his book it is evident that Mr. Owens was able to capture this organic livelihood and breathe life into the pages through the portraits and landscapes of the people who inhabit this uniquely beautiful place full of sky and stars.

Leafing through this book I am reminded of how lucky I am to call this little corner of the world home, and I am grateful there are still places left in America, like the Sandhills, that exist in a near natural state, though they may be too few and far between.

In the acknowledgements, Mr. Owens writes, "I am greatly indebted to Kathie, who, from the very beginning, became a gracious friend, a guide who willingly introduced me to her friends and patiently shared her vast knowledge of the region . . . The memory of her friendship is embedded in every page of this book."

I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to read it. Thank you so much, Mr. Cody, for your thoughtful
donation.

Click here to read a review by the Lincoln Journal Star.

Storytime begins today!

2010-09-07T11:44:00.000-06:00

Storytime begins tonight!

Storytime is a themed program for children ages 3 to 6 years old and is held in the children's section of the library every Tuesday night at 6:30 and Thursday morning at 10:00. Please register your child at the desk before attending.

Bookworm

2010-09-07T11:36:00.000-06:00

Fiction
A Measure of Mercy by Lauraine Snelling: Astrid Bjorklund, studying medicine, leaves the town of Blessing and her boyfriend Joshua Landsverk behind to get additional training, but when Joshua fails to write and she learns he has left town, she makes a decision she may soon regret.
Blockade Billy by Stephen King: The character of George Granny Grantham recounts the story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely, who was called in to fill a spot for the New Jersey Titans in the spring of 1957 and exhibited tenacity in the game as well as some disturbing eccentricities.

In His Majesty's Service by Naomi Novik: Collects the first three novels in the Temeraire series, including "His Majesty's Dragon," "Throne of Jade," and "Black Powder War

The Particular Sadness of Lemond Cake by Aimee Bender: Rose Edelstein, on the eve of her ninth birthday, bites into her mother's lemon-chocolate cake and is immediately aware of the hidden secrets the members of her family hold.

That Perfect Someone by Johanna Lindsey: Richard Allen falls in love with the married Georgina Malory, and, while trying to woo her at a masked ball, Richard meets Julia Miller, who eventually finds out his identity but agrees to enter into a charade with him in order to avoid marrying the Earl of Manford's son.

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik: After being convicted of treason, Temeraire and Laurence are exiled to a prison colony, where they are faced with political entanglements and corruptions of war. Eager to escape, the two take on a mission to find a way through the Blue Mountains, which leads to a discovery that further complicates the war between Britain and Napoleon.

Nonfiction
Soccer and Philosophy: Delves deep into the inner workings if soccer, the world's most popular sport.
My Nebraska: The Good, The Bad, The Husker by Roger L. Welsch: Writer Roger Welsch is a fan of Nebraska—not just the football team, or the state's famous beef, or its endless sky, or its weather, but the whole thing. His perspectives will make readers of this "love letter to Nebraska" chuckle.

The Practical Astronomer by Will Gater: A beginner's guide to astronomy that covers recognizing and identifying features in the sky, naked eye observation, using binoculars and telescopes, and other related topics, and includes star charts and a month-by-month atlas of the night sky.

Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean by Richard D. Logan: Recounts the events surrounding the murder of the Duperrault family by the captain of the ship they chartered on vacation in 1961, as told by Tere Duperrault Fassbender, who was eleven-years-old at the time of the event and the only survivor.

CD's Fiction
Hero at Large by Janet Evanovich: Ken Callahan stops to help single mom Chris Nelson with her car not realizing his life is about to take a drastic change, with broken bones, a bruised heart, a Zamboni, and a meddlesome Aunt Edna all in the mix.
Split Second by David Baldacci: Michelle Maxwell and Sean King, two former Secret Service agents whose careers were destroyed when presidential candidates under their protection were harmed, discover together that their cases, eight years apart, are connected, and that danger remains.
The Associate by John Grisham: A dark episode from college haunts Kyle McAvoys future after he graduates from Yale and takes a shady job at a law firm where his new employer blackmails him into unethical work, which includes a scheme that could land Kyle in jail or possibly get him killed.

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson: On his birthday, detective Alex Cross has been informed that his niece, Caroline has been brutally murdered and Cross's investigation leads him to a fantasy-scene in, where he realizes he is tracking a serial killer. Danger mounts when Cross connects the deaths to some very important people.

Happy Labor Day

2010-09-03T16:06:00.000-06:00

The Library will be closed on Monday in honor of Labor Day. We will resume operation on Tuesday with Winter Hours as follows:

Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm

Friday and Saturday 10am-5pm

Sunday 1pm-4pm

Have a wonderful and relaxing Labor Day!

In Memory of Mary Helen Brittan Serna

2010-09-02T15:45:00.004-06:00

The following poetry collections have been donated to the library in loving memory of Mary Helen Brittan Serna, who was a lover of travel, poetry and fine literature.

"Virtually every baby boomer who cares about contemporary poetry first made its acquaintance in one of the little square paperbacks Lawrence Ferlinghetti started publishing out of his San Francisco bookstore, City Lights, in 1955. Together, those slim volumes of dedicatedly modernist, often Beat, and generally avant-garde verse comprise the Pocket Poets series. A few pages from each of the first 52 titles in the series appear in this sampler. The poets include Ginsberg, O'Hara, Levertov, Kerouac, di Prima, Bly, etc., etc.--a who's who of postWorld War II American modernism--as well as their great inspirer, William Carlos Williams, and such foreign counterparts as Voznesensky and Parra, such foreign forebears as Mayakovsky and Picasso (yes, poems by him). Of course, what we have here is a moment in cultural time, that of the 1950s1960s avant-garde; the next generation of new poets published elsewhere. But what a rich moment it is, one that belongs in every American library." ~ Booklist

Poetry is the literary journal of the poetry world. To be published in Poetry is to have a gold star on your resume. This collection offers up some 600 poems spanning a century of wonderful work from classics such as E.E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, and Sylvia Plath, to more contemporary stars of the poetry world like Yusef Komunyakaa and Billy Collins. This collection offers up the cream of the crop from the 20th century.

This volume contains more than 1600 poems drawn from dozens of languages and cultures, and spans a period of more than 4000 years from ancient Sumer and Egypt to the late twentieth century. World Poetry encompasses the many worlds of poetry, poetry of all styles, of all eras, of all tongues: from the ancient epic of Gilgamesh and the Pharaoh Akhnaten's "Hymn to the Sun" to the haiku of Basho and the dazzling imagery of Li Po; from Vedic hymns to Icelandic sagas to the "Carmina Burana"; from the magnificence of Homer and Dante to the lyricism of Goethe and Verlaine; from the piercing insights of Rilke and Yeats to the revelatory verse of Emily Dickinson, Garcia Lorca, Derek Walcott, Seamus Heaney, and many more.

These books will round out our poetry collection nicely. Thank you Jane, for the donation!

Bookworm

2010-08-30T13:56:00.002-06:00

Fiction

Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Objective by Eric Lustbader: Jason Bourne, nearly killed in an ambush in Indonesia, assumes a new identity and recommences his quest to learn who he really is, but when an American passenger jet is shot down over Egypt by what appears to be an Iranian missile, he joins a global team, led by Soraya Moore, to investigate the attack and possibly prevent another world war.

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher: Tavi of Calderon, now Captain of the First Aleran Legion, attempts an alliance between Aleran and Cane in order to fight their common enemy, the terrifying Vord.

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella: Young Rebecca Bloomwood, a financial magazine writer who has dug herself into a huge debt hole with her perpetual shopping, tries to turn her life around when she meets the desirable Luke Brandon.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson: Lisbeth Salander, recovering in a Swedish hospital from a gunshot wound, calls upon journalist Mikael Blomkvist to help prove her innocence in the murders of three people; but in order to do so, he must uncover a long-buried conspiracy within the Swedish Secret Service.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Griffin: Nick Russo, pediatric plastic surgeon and husband of Tessa, a stay-at-home mom, is called in to treat a six-year-old burn victim; but as he becomes involved in the case, he also finds himself attracted to the child's mother, Valerie.

Standard of Honor by Jack Whyte: In 1187, Alexander Sinclair escapes into the desert after the Battle of Hattin and sets out to find other Templar Knights who survived the battle, while King Richard seeks the help of Sir Henry St. Clair as he prepares to free the Holy Lands.

Inner Harbor by Nora Roberts: In honoring his father's dying wish, Phillip Quinn finds himself caring for a young boy who reminds Phillip of himself, and when he meets a woman who can help him save the boy from his tramp of a mother, he falls in love and tries to make a perfect family for himself and the young boy.

Nonfiction

Nicholas Black Elk by Michael F. Steltenkamp: A comprehensive biography of the life of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux religious elder, who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, witnessed the massacre at Wounded Knee, and lived into the twentieth century.

Israel and Palestine by Avi Shlaim: Examines various aspects of Israeli-Palestinian relations, including Israel's establishment in 1948, the Six Day War of 1967, and the Oslo Accords of 1993, and assesses the influence of key political and intellectual figures such as Ariel Sharon, Edward Said, and Yasser Arafat while analyzing the many opportunities for peace that has been missed.

One Hundred Summers by Candace S. Greene: The book presents a recently discovered calendar, created by the Kiowa master artist Silver Horn. Covering the period from 1828 to 1928, the pictures trace Kiowa experiences from buffalo to biplanes, from horse raiding to World War I service, offering a perspective on a critical period of Kiowa history.

Indian Slavery in Colonial America by Alan Gallay: This book examines the complicated dynamics of Indian Enslavement; including how and why Indians became slaves. The essays in this collection use Indian Slavery as a lens through which to explore both Indian and European societies and their interactions, as well as relations between and among Native groups.

The Magnificent Mountain Women by Janet Robertson: Presents three dozen women who from the 1850s to the 1980s ventured into the mountains pursuing their own aims and meeting success.

He Might Be a Redneck If…by Jeff Foxworthy: Presents a collection of Jeff Foxworthy's trademark redneck humor, covering family, love and marriage, homes and vehicles, work, fashion, and other topics.

Fur, Fortune and Empire by Eric Jay Dolin: Traces the dramatic rise and fall of the American fur industry, from the first Dutch encounters with the Indians to the rise of the conservation movement in the late nineteenth century.

2010-08-27T11:10:00.003-06:00

I am hard at work on our new website - so my posting here will be minimal, and pretty soon non-existent. I hope to take the website live next week, at which time my daily posts can be found at the new site.

Here's the new address if you would like to take a sneak peek!
http://libraries.ne.gov/alliance

Library Bookclub!

2010-08-24T11:02:00.003-06:00

We are implementing a library bookclub - so if you have ever wanted to join a bookclub or make some new friends, now's the time! It sounds like we plan on having two discussion times, one during the day and another in the evening, in order to make it more flexible for anyone who wishes to participate.

An organizational meeting will be held this Thursday at 2:00pm at the library.
If you can't attend the meeting, no worries, as I will post more information as it becomes available.

Bookworm

2010-08-23T11:33:00.003-06:00

Large Print Fiction

The Cowpuncher by Bradford Scott: Huck Brannon’s dream was to have a ranch of his own. When Old Tom, a cowpoke, showed him a scrap that was alleged to be a map to a lost mine full of treasure, Huck decided this might be his only chance to have his dream come true.

Crawlspace by Sarah Graves: Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree, having left her career on Wall Street to remodel a 1823 Federal-style house, continues to struggle with her renovation while also teaming up with her mother-in-law to find her son and a true-crime writer who have disappeared and they believe are the targets of a serial killer.

Flint by Louis L’Amour: Suffering from incurable cancer, Flint heads back to New Mexico to die alone after making it big back East. But when all-out range war erupts, Flint chooses to help Nancy Kerrigan, a local rancher, save her ranch using his cash, his connections and his gun.

Ghost Legion by Johnny D. Boggs: Trying to escape a brutal husband, Marty McKindrict disguises herself as a man and joins the Patriot cause. Meanwhile, Stuart Brodie, a freedman, joins the Loyalists after his brother is lynched by a gang of Patriot renegades. In the heat of the American Revolution, fate will bring the two together in a bloody climax.

The House on Sugar Plum Lane by Judy Duarte: When Amy Masterson finds the Victorian house that belongs to her great-grandmother; she's surprised to discover a run-down building. Amy rents the house, fully furnished, and as she begins cleaning out the debris, she opens a window into the past she knows almost nothing.

The Inn at Angel Island by Thomas Kinkade: Liza Martin arrives on Angel Island to sell the inn she and her brother inherited from their aunt. She wants to quickly return to her busy life, so disposing of the inn is an easy decision. Not to easy is what to do with her unstable career and recent divorce. Once on Angel Island, she begins to doubt her decision.

The Hangman's Row Enquiry by Ann Purser: After moving to an old folk's residence, Ivy Beasley along with her cousin Deirdre and her admirer Roy are recruited by Gus Halfhide to start a detective agency called Enquire Within.

The Guns of Parral by Lauran Paine: A pair of lawmen ride into the town, with the intentions of arresting an old outlaw named Pete Harkness, even though he had not committed a reported crime in nearly 15 years, when people in the area find out who they were looking for, for duo find plenty of trouble.

Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine: Freelance writer Jaine Austen finds herself working to clear the name of her friend Lance, who has been pegged as the murderer of millionaire Marv Cooper's trophy wife, a dreadful diva named Bunny.

Cowboy for a Rainy Afternoon by Stephen Bly: A man looks back on his days spent as a ten-year-old at the Matador Hotel in New Mexico, listening to his grandfather and his friends, who spent their lives as cowboys in the Southwest, tell stories and pass down the way of life and western traditions that were quickly becoming extinct.

The Singing Scorpion by William Colt MacDonald: A gang called the Scorpions loot and kill with abandon until Tucson Smith, a slow-talking and not easily riled man, decides to avenge the death of a loved one who has fallen victim to their murderous ways.

Sean's Reckoning by Sheryl Woods: Fireman Sean Devaney knew love never lasted, so he made sure he'd never be in a position to experience that kind of loss again. But he never counted on meeting Deanna Blackwell, who had just lost everything in a fire.

The Man from Battle Flat by Louis L’Amour: Collected for the first time are completely restored texts of three of Louis L'Amour's finest Western Stories.

Operation Paperback

2010-08-19T11:44:00.002-06:00

Via the LibraryThing Blog (to read more about how awesone LibraryThing is, click here), I stumbled across the non-profit organization called Operation Paperback, which works to send books to troops deployed overseas. They are looking for donations of "gently" used books. It appears that you do the mailing and they will supply the address. What a great way to recycle books! For more information about the organization and how to help, visit their website at http://www.operationpaperback.org/

Non-fiction Connection at Nebraskaccess

2010-08-18T12:11:00.004-06:00

A new searchable reader's advisory database called Non-fiction Connection is available at NebraskAccess. The platform is identical to Fiction Connection, which I posted about a long time ago here; however, the books are all nonfiction narratives that are based on fact yet read like fiction.

The database is available through a subscription and is made accessible to all Nebraskans free of charge courtesy of the ever wonderful Nebraska Library Commission - so thank you NLC! All you need to access the database is your Nebraska driver's license number, or you can contact us for a password.

There are a number of ways to go about finding new books, such as title search and browsing by tags. The site strikes me as pretty user friendly, so have some fun and explore. As always, if you have any questions, just let me know and I'll be happy to help :-)

Book Sale Starts Today!

2010-08-17T10:24:00.003-06:00

Don't forget to support the library by attending the Friends of the Library Book Sale!

Hours are as follows:

Tuesday: 12-4pm Members Only & 4-6pm Public

Wednesday: 10am-7pm Public

Thursday: 12:00-5pm Public

Monetary donations are welcome!

Bookworm

2010-08-16T11:44:00.003-06:00

Fiction

A Matter of Character by Robin Lee Hatcher: Journalist Joshua Crawford is outraged by the depiction of his grandfather as the villain in a dime store novel series penned by a D. B. Morgan, the unknown pseudonym of Daphne McKinley, but just as she begins to reassess her life Joshua rolls into town.

No Distance Too Far by Lauraine Snelling: Astrid Bjorklund, having attended a missionary training school in the South with the hopes of eventually helping sick people in Africa, is called home to Blessing for a family medical crisis, and finds opposition to herself and her work, as well as a man who makes her question her faith in God and love.

The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini: Paul Madriani, a defense attorney in San Diego, attempts to evade a variety of dangers while hunting down an extremist intent on attacking the heart of Washington, D.C., with a catastrophic weapon.

The Search by Nora Roberts: Fiona Bristow, the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer who shot and killed her fiancé and his K-9 partner, runs a dog-training business. Has her life disrupted by Simon Doyle who is desperate for help in calming his puppy, and by the emergence of a copycat killer who wants the woman that got away.

Skein of the Crime by Maggie Sefton: The knitters at the House of Lambspun have begun their fall projects, but Kelly Flynn decides to focus her attention on a murder investigation when one of her knitting students is found dead on the river trail near her house.

Take Four by Karen Kingsbury: Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison are weary about landing a popular young actor for their film, "Unlocked," because of his wild reputation, until he develops an interest in his costar, Bailey Flanigan, which could motivate him to improve himself.

Cool Beans by Erynn Mangum: Just when Maya Davis's life seems to be perfect her best friend starts dating Travis, Maya's long-term boyfriend from high school, who does not seem to recognize Maya, confusing her so much she begins to question everything, including her faith in God.

Fever Dream by Douglas J. Preston: Special Agent Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta set out to investigate the mystery of Pendergast's wife, and who loaded her rifle with blanks, thus leaving her defenseless against the ferocious lion that took her life

Foreign Influence by Brad Thor: Homeland Security agent Scot Harvath is assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a politically connected family in Afghanistan.

Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch: Twenty years after her father's mysterious disappearance, Hannah Legare returns to her family home in Charleston, South Carolina, hoping to learn what really happened on that long ago day that changed her life.

The Overton Window by Glen Beck: Public relations executive Noah Gardner refuses to help Molly Ross and her group of patriots advance their cause, until an attack on American soil shakes the country to the core and convinces Noah that helping Molly is the most important thing he will ever do, even if it means risking his life.

Predator by Terri Blackstock: After the murder of her fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator, Krista Carmichael tries to lure the killer by creating an online persona, and when Ryan Adkins, who started the GrapeVyne social network, meets Krista, he helps her in her attempt to obtain justice.

Private by James Patterson: Former CIA agent Jack Morgan runs Private, an international investigation company involved in solving important cases. When he learns that his best friend's wife has been killed, Jack devotes all of the company's resources to tracking down her killer, while navigating a workplace romance that threatens to disrupt his plans.

Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk: Thirteen-year-old Pygmy, a young terrorist in the United States under the pretext of being a foreign exchange student, tries to make sense of American life while plotting his attack.

Friends of the Library Book Sale!

2010-08-11T12:00:00.004-06:00

The Friends will be hosting their semi-annual booksale next week!

The hours are as follows:

Members only:

Tuesday, August 17, 12:00-4:00pm

Open to the public:

Tuesday, August 17, 4:00-6:00pm

Wednesday, August 18, 10:00am-7:00pm

Thursday, August19, 12:00-5:00pm

Monetary donations are welcome and encouraged. So much of what we do here at the library is made possible by this wonderful organization and the funds raised at the books sales. The more you donate, the more we are able to do. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Book donation information: any newly donated books will likely not make it into next week's sale; however, books can be donated year round. Simply drop your donation off at the circulation desk, and we will take it downstairs.

Gloria Clark Air Base Presentation this Thursday!

2010-08-10T13:43:00.004-06:00

Capt. Robert D. Rae of Service Company, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment prepares for a training jump in Alliance, Nebraska, in 1943. (image and caption found at www.armcairgeneral.com courtesy of Albert "Bud" Parker)

In conjunction with the military cemetery dedication, Gloria Clark, former Alliance resident, will give a presentation on her book

World War II: Prairie Invasion

at 6:00pm this Thursday

August 12th

in the Alliance Learning Center

Community Rooms.

We still have a few copies of the book available for checkout. See the circulation desk for details.

Based on the Book

2010-08-09T13:24:00.003-06:00

The movie Eat, Pray, Love, which I am sure you know is based on the book of the same name by author Elizabeth Gilbert, is expected to hit our theatre soon. So why not be prepared and read the book before seeing the movie.

This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls “Anne Lamott’s hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister”) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.

Bookworm

2010-08-06T11:24:00.002-06:00

Fiction

Family Ties by Danielle Steel: Architect Annie Ferguson puts her life on hold in order to raise her sister's three orphaned children; but now in her forties and the children facing major challenges in their own lives, a chance encounter changes Annie's destiny yet again.

Imperial Bedroom by Bret Easton Ellis: Clay establishes a career in screenwriting in New York City and returns to Los Angeles to find a cast for his new movie, but after encounters with old friends and interactions with a very persistent actress, Clay's inner demons pose a threat to the life he has built.

The Lion by Nelson DeMille: John Corey fears his allotment of good luck may have run out when he signs on as a contract agent with the federal government's Anti-Terrorist Task Force and is assigned to apprehend an alleged Libyan terrorist known as "The Lion."

Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness by Tilly Bagshawe: Socialite Grace, wife of Lenny Brookstein, one of the founders of the most profitable hedge fund in history, must find a way to clear her own name and that of her husband after investors lose billions of dollars, Lenny disappears while sailing solo, and she is arrested for securities fraud.

The Spy by Clive Cussler: The Van Dorn Detective Agency assigns Isaac Bell, a private investigator, to a case that will reveal whether an American battleship gun designer's death was a suicide or murder, but Bell uncovers a plot set to destroy the great minds of America that are somehow connected to a secret project known as Hull 44.

Broken by Karin Slaughter: When Special Agent Will Trent investigates a prisoner's death he finds a tight-lipped police department following a second death, the county's police chief. When he tries to help the dead chief's widow, Dr. Sara Linton, he is forced to put pressure on officer Lena Adams, who he believes is concealing a dark secret.

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris: Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, having survived the Fae War and is recovering from the torture she endured, realizes the doors to Faery were closed before some fae were able to leave the human world and they are holding her responsible.

Nonfiction
A Baker's Dozen by Karen Costello Soltys: As the publisher of America's Best-Loved Quilt Books, we just had to get in on the fun of quilting with precut fabrics! For this book, we commissioned 13 fabulous quilts designed and made by the stitching experts on our own staff. Now you can indulge your craving for fat quarters, Jelly Rolls, 5-inch charm squares, and 10-inch Layer Cakes!

The Facebook Effect by David Kirkpatrick: Explores the inside story of Facebook, its founders, and how it became a social networking sensation.

The Oglala Sioux Warriors in Transition by Robert H. Ruby: The book presents a picture of the ways in which the lives of the American Indians were altered under the influence of the U.S. government, and it details the heroic struggle of the Sioux to recover and maintain their culture and sovereignty.

Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin: The author gives a personal account of her life as an autistic person, describing the way her visual mind works and how she managed to go beyond her impairment and succeed in the outside world.

Surviving the Loss of a Child by Elizabeth B. Brown: The book offers encouragement and hope to those who may think they will never be able to live fully after such tragedy.

Rethinking the Fur Trade by Susan Sleeper-Smith: Exposes what has been called the “invisible hand of indigenous commerce,” revealing how it changed European interaction with Indians, influenced what was produced to serve the interests of Indian customers, and led to important cultural innovations.

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis: Chronicles the events leading up to the economic crash in 2008 by following the lives of various individuals, including Steve Eisman, Vincent Daniel, Michael Burry, Greg Lippmann, Gene Park, Howie Hubler, and others.

Back From Training!

2010-08-05T13:54:00.004-06:00

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizzardo/2189776899/

I am back from my workshop and training programs in Sidney, and boy do I have a long list of new to-do items. I am very excited about the new website! It also sounds like we will be able to transfer some of the blog content over to the new platform :-)

I hope to have the website ready to roll by the end of the month (my fingers are crossed as I say this) and I would love to hear any of your suggestions for the site. After all, the website is being made for you to use and enjoy! So, what would you like to see? Leave a comment or you can email me at tkeenan@cityofalliance.net with your ideas. I would love to hear them!

Tech Training

2010-08-04T09:34:00.002-06:00

I am in Sidney today for training on how to maintain and enhance our new website, about which I am very excited!!! So, over the next few day the posting will be sparse, and very soon I'll have a new website to share where all of our online services can be accessed from one spot. Yay!

More info coming soon :-)

And the winner of our trivia contest is . . .

2010-08-02T15:08:00.005-06:00

Pam Becker!

You have won a handmade garden stone. It will be ready to be picked up Wednesday afternoon. (I still need to pour it.)

And I want to thank all of you who took the time to participate in this contest. I hope you had as much fun answering the questions as I did finding them :-) Is this something you would like to continue with? I'm thinking of putting together another one this fall.

And here were all of the questions and answers:

1. What percentage of the human brain is made up of water? 77-78% (The source was the University of Washington Biology Dept.)

2. What was the original name for popsicles, and how old was the inventor? They were originally called Epsicles and were invented by an 11 year old boy.

3. What time officially marked the beginning of summer? 7:48 PM

4. What was the name of the girl who was the original model for the Coppertone logo and how old was she when the ads came out? Cheri Brand and she was 3 years old
What actress made her debut starring as the Coppertone Girl in TV commercials? Jodi Foster

5. What do the colors of our flag represent? No one knows for sure because it has never been found in any documents. (This was verified by more than one source.)

6. In the sport of surfing, what does the term "goofy foot" refer to? The surfer’s stance

7. How old is the world's oldest rose and where is it located? 1000 years old, Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany

8. Early explorers used watermelons for what practical traveling accessory? A canteen

9. In china, the discarded skins of cicadas are ground up, placed in tea and given to crying babies in hopes of doing what? Quieting them.

10. Who invented the Ferris Wheel and what was it meant to celebrate? George Ferris and it celebrated the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus

11. What is the highest recorded temperature in the state of Nebraska and what city is "lucky" enough to bear this honor? 118 degrees in Minden

#11 Final Trivia Question!

2010-07-30T15:21:00.003-06:00

Man, it sure has been hot lately! It makes me ever so thankful for working someplace with central air. When I go home, where there is a definite shortage of air conditioning, I just try to remind myself that it could be worse. So with this in mind, I give you the final question to the Trivia Contest.

#11 What is the highest recorded temperature in the state of Nebraska and what city is "lucky" enough to bear this honor?

Now, since this is the last question for the contest, be sure to go back and answer all the ones you missed. The answers must be submitted either by email to rlarson@cityofallince.net or delivered to the circulation desk by the end of the day tomorrow. I'll announce the winner and post all of the correct answers here on Monday afternoon. Good luck!

The Adult Summer Reading Trivia Contest Prize!

2010-07-29T16:33:00.002-06:00

In just a few short days we will have a winner for our trivia contest. Yay!

I know I have been promosing pictures of the trivia contest prize, which I have yet to post, mainly because I am not yet finished with it. However, I will tell you what it is. One lucker trivia fan will win a handmade mosaic glass stepping stone that I designed and made specifically for the contest :-)

So, I will be posting the last question tomorrow. Be sure to have all of your answers in to Ronda by the end of the day this Saturday, the 31st. The stone is pretty, so be sure to answer all of the questions!

Bookworm

2010-07-28T11:51:00.005-06:00

I have been out of the office ill the last few days, so I will try to catch up with my posting throughout the day.

Fiction

Cold Ice by Tess Gerritsen: Medical examiner Maura Isles's SUV stalls on a mountain road, leaving her and her friends to seek refuge in a seemingly abandoned village, but when homicide detective Jane Rizzoli receives word that Maura's charred body was discovered in a ravine, she sets out to hunt down the killer and unravel the secrets concerning Maura's fate.

Blue-Eyed Devil by Robert B. Parker: Lawmen Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch return to find Amos Callico, a politically-ambitious chief of police, and twelve officers working in their town, but when Cole and Hitch refuse to work with Callico, the chief begins to threaten the local merchants into paying for his protection.

Anthropologie of an American Girl by H.T. Hamann: Eveline, growing up in East Hampton, learns to accept herself as she navigates her way through high school graduation and college and deals with death, rape, love, and other life challenges.

The Alchemaster's Apprentice by Walter Moers: Echo the Crat, a cat-like creature that can speak multiple languages, finds himself starving on the streets of Malisea after the death of his mistress and is forced to sign a contract with Ghoolion the Alchemaster who plans to kill Echo and render him down for his fat at the next full moon.

No Mercy by Lori Armstrong: Mercy Gunderson, on leave from military duty, returns home to South Dakota after her father's death, and as she tries to determine what to do with the family ranch, she is pulled into a dangerous investigation involving a local Native American boy who was found dead on her land.

Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark: Private investigator Regan Reilly and her husband Jack decide to celebrate their anniversary by spending four days at a beach front home, when a violent storm demolishes their plans for a quiet vacation, and they are called to duty when an elderly neighbor disappears.

The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver: A criminal terrorizes New York City and forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme is leading the investigation, but Rhyme's determination, despite his physical impairment and his involvement in another investigation, causes conflict within his team.

Nonfiction

Hitch-22 by Christopher Hitchens: Tells the life story of controversial public intellectual, Christopher Hitchens, describing his views on war, religion, and other topics.

Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man by Bill Clegg: The author, who had a promising career in the publishing industry, recounts his descent into addiction and the odyssey of his two-month crack binge.

Pandora's Seed by Spencer Wells: Explorer, geneticist, geographer, and author Spencer Wells looks over ten thousand years of human progress maintaining that man's desire to control his own food supply contributed to urbanization and overcrowding, disease, and alienation from one another.

Rush Limbaugh: And Army of One by Ze’ev Chafets: A biography of Republican radio personality Rush Limbaugh, discussing his childhood, the jobs Limbaugh held prior to becoming an outspoken conservative, his marriages, and his political views throughout the several presidential terms since he has been on the radio.

Original Intent by David Barton: An essential resource for anyone interested in our nation's religious heritage and the Founders' intended role for the American judicial system.

To Save America by Newt Gingrich: Newt Gingrich offers his opinion of the Obama administration, characterizing it as desiring to further a socialist, secularist agenda, and discusses what he believes to be solutions for improving the legislative process, replacing Obama's programs, and more.

A Doctor Among the Oglala Sioux Tribes: The Letters of Robert H. Ruby 1953-1954 by Robert H. Ruby: In 1953, surgeon Robert H. Ruby began work as the chief medical officer at the hospital on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He began writing almost daily to his sister, describing the Oglala Lakota people he served, his Bureau of Indian Affairs colleagues, and day-to-day life on the reservation.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia #10

2010-07-23T16:35:00.003-06:00

#10 Who invented the Ferris Wheel and what was it meant to celebrate?

We hope you enjoy the carnival this weekend and the rest of the Heritage Days activities!

If you have missed any questions, feel free to go back and answer them. You have through July 31st to submit all of your answers!
To participate in the trivia contest, simply email your answer to Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net or give us your answer at the desk. Don't forget to include your full name. For every correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize. I will post a question at least once every week, maybe more, so be sure to check in often.

Seussical the Musical at Theatre West

2010-07-22T10:26:00.003-06:00

Seussical the Musical is in Scottsbluff at WNCC's Theatre West!

I saw this musical presented by the Lincoln Community Playhouse a few years back and it is

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

They manage to role all the Seuss classics like Horton, Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, and the Butter Wars into a wonderful plot full of laughs and excitement.

So if you are a fan of Seuss, or you have a kid who likes Seuss, or you like musicals, or you're simply looking for somethig fun and different to do, contact Theatre West to purchase your tickets. The play runs tonight through Saturday and then next Wednesday through Saturday. They even have a family night on Wednesday, where admission for children under 12 is only $1 with the purchase of adult admission.

For more information contact the box office at 308-635-6193 or visit their website by clicking here.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #9

2010-07-21T11:32:00.005-06:00

#9 In china, the discarded skins of cicadas are ground up, placed in tea and given to crying babies in hopes of doing what?

Sticking with the mini recipe theme I have going on this summer, click here for a host of cicada recipes and enjoy! The cicada granola chews sound especially appetizing :-)

If you have missed any questions, feel free to go back and answer them. You have through July 31st to submit all of your answers!

To participate in the trivia contest, simply email your answer to Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net or give us your answer at the desk. Don't forget to include your full name. For every correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize. I will post a question at least once every week, maybe more, so be sure to check in often.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: a Review

2010-07-20T08:00:00.002-06:00

I recently requested the book The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. The title was perfect, the synopsis was intriguing and the book was on several summer "must read" lists I had seen in the media. So when the book arrived, I took it home and began to read.

The prose in this book is so beautifully written I found myself reading sentences two or three times on many occasions. Aimee Bender constructs beautiful similes and metaphors, and I love the way she had her characters use them frequently in conversation.

The book begins with 8 year old Rose Edelstein discovering she can taste, in any kind of food, the emotions of the person who made it. As you can imagine, this can be very cumbersome and on occasion flat-out horrifying. She goes on to discover that not only does she taste the emotions of the preparer, but the entire history of the ingredients, be they factory produced or grown on a farm, etc. She tries to explain her skill early on, but soon finds it better if she keeps her ability to herself and copes with it as best as she can.

The book moves on to explore the other characters in the book, most of whom are above-average intelligent members of her family, unfolding the separate but intersecting lives of her distant father, her borderline-insane genius brother, who harbors a mysterious and unsettling skill of his own, and her unfulfilled and disloyal mother.

While the overall plot of the story is a little strange, and your heart aches for many of the characters (whom I found myself wanting to either hug on slap on more than one occasion) this is overshadowed by Aimee Bender's ability to construct beautiful metaphors and elegant sentences. It is a novel that kept me glued to the pages, and one I would read again. I have a feeling there is still so much to discover in the pages.

Click here for review of the book from NPR and to read an excerpt.

Based on the Book

2010-07-19T13:18:00.003-06:00

A new book series that has recently hit our shelves is The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith. The series has been made into a popular CW show by the same name:

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

Stop in and pick up the first book today!

Bookworm

2010-07-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Fiction
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts: Wedding cake baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company, but she's too low key to appreciate all the luxuries that her clients long for. What she does appreciate is Delaney, her friend's brother whom she has had a crush. She is convinced that the lawyer is out of her reach or so she thinks.

Small Favor by Jim Butcher: Just as wizard Harry Dresden's life begins to calm down, an old bargain comes back to haunt Harry, forcing him to help the Queen of Air and Darkness battle an old foe and trapping him in a nightmare that stretches his skills and loyalties to their limits.

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich: Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula, motivated only by a strong desire to save their jobs, set out to rescue their boss and Stephanie's cousin, Vinny, who has been kidnapped by the mob for not paying his gambling debts.

Whiplash by Catherine Coulter: After her vivacious twin sister dies, a shy teenaged girl moves with her parents to San Francisco, where she meets a magical seamstress who grants her one wish.

The Passage by Justin Cronin: FBI agent Brad Wolgast vows to protect six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte after a government military experiment she was involved in goes bad, unleashing a toxic virus that turns humans into bloodthirsty monsters.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes: Young Marine lieutenant and platoon commander Waino Mellas and his battalion learn about life, loss, and the horrors of war during their thirteen-month tour in the sweltering mountains of South Vietnam.

Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson: Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire has much to contend with when the owners of a multi-million-dollar development decide to remove the junkyard next door, but the Stewart clan the owners of the junkyard, are not easily moved.

Nonfiction

Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given by Duane "Dog" Chapman: Duane "Dog" Chapman, the recognized bounty hunter from A&E's television series, discusses the challenges he has overcome in his life, his professional experiences capturing fugitives, and his role as a mentor.

Countdown to College: 21 "to-Do" Lists for High Scool by Valerie Pierce: Provides a timeline to help students maximize their high school years and optimize their chances of getting where they want to go.

Furious Love by Sam Kashner: Describes the tempestuous relationship between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, their affair on the set of Cleopatra, Burton's struggle with alcohol, their emotional battles, separation, and remarriage.

War by Sebastian Junger: A combat narrative based on journalist Sebastian Junger's experiences in Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008, during which he spent time intermittently embedded with a platoon of the 173rd Airborne brigade in Korengal Valley.

Seven Events That Made America America by Larry Schweikart: Describes seven events in American history and their significance, including when Martin Van Buren consolidated the first national political party, how Dwight Eisenhower's heart attack impacted the American diet, how rock and roll helped in the fight against communism, and more.

Things To Do Now That You're . . . A Grandparent by Amy Goyer: Provides the newly appointed grandparent with 600 ingenious, fun and creative ideas to explore.

Spoken from the Heart by Laura Welsh Bush: First Lady Laura Bush reveals her life, describing her childhood in Midland, Texas, along with her relationships with family members and friends, a tragic high school car accident, professional accomplishments, married life, experiences in the White House, and more.

Our rose garden is at it's finest!

2010-07-15T12:09:00.003-06:00

We are busy preparing our recently planted rose garden for tonight's Carnegie Arts Center Garden Walk. It is going to be filled with wind chimes, garden decor, potted flowers and trees, a tea fountain, and of course roses! The St. John's Brass Band will also so kindly be treating us to their wonderful music. Be sure to stop by for some refreshing iced tea, take a look at our beautiful new rose garden and enjoy the music!

If you would like to participate in the entire garden walk, simply contact Carnegie Arts Center for tickets. They are $25, which includes a lovely tour of a number of area gardens as well as a light gourmet dinner served in a garden and a fine art auction! All funds go to Carnegie Art Center, which truly is a wonderful addition to our community.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Contest #8

2010-07-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

#8 Early explorers used watermelons as what pratical traveling accessory?

Click here for a host or watermelon recipes, including a muffin crumble parfait, watermelon and pineapple salsa, watermelon BBQ sauce and much more!

New Book Spotlight

2010-07-14T14:48:00.004-06:00

The following books has made it on to several summer reading lists. The plot sounds interesting, and it has received many rave reviews. It is just hitting the shelves and can be found at call number FIC BEN in the new book section, or you can contact us to place a hold.

On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein, a girl at the periphery of schoolyard games and her distracted parents’ attention, bites into her mother’s homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the cake. She discovers this gift to her horror, for her mother—her cheerful, good-with-crafts, can-do mother—tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes a peril and a threat to Rose.

The curse her gift has bestowed is the secret knowledge all families keep hidden—her mother’s life outside the home, her father’s detachment, her brother’s clash with the world. Yet as Rose grows up she learns to harness her gift and becomes aware that there are secrets even her taste buds cannot discern.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a luminous tale about the enormous difficulty of loving someone fully when you know too much about them. It is heartbreaking and funny, wise and sad, and confirms Aimee Bender’s place as “a writer who makes you grateful for the very existence of language” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Summer Reading Swim Party Grand Finale!

2010-07-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Don't forget that tomorrow there are no morning programs for the children's Summer Reading. Instead, Stephanie will be celebrating another successful year with a swim party! The party will be from 7:00 to 9:00 at the city pool. The whole family is encouraged to attend, so bring the kids and the towels and have a fun water-filled evening!

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #7

2010-07-13T10:24:00.005-06:00

#7 How old is the world's oldest rose and where is it located?

Since this is a two-part question, your name will be entered into the drawing for each correct answer you give. And if you missed a question, all answers will be accepted through July 31st.

Just make sure we know the numberof the question you are answering :-)

Don't forget to contact Carnegie Arts Center for tickets to their Garden Walk fundraiser this Thursday evening. Our newly planted rose garden is one of the features of the walk!

For more info, click here.

Bookworm

2010-07-12T13:54:00.002-06:00

Large Print Fiction

Ryan's Place by Sherryl Woods: Abandoned by his parents and separated from his four brothers as a youngster, Ryan Devaney never let anyone get too close to him. Then Maggie O'Brien marched into his pub and declared war on the icy fortress around his heart.

The Sacred Valley by Max Brand: Born to white parents, Rusty Sabin was taken prisoner and raised by the Cheyennes, who know him now as Red Hawk, an admired leader and great warrior. After two bags of gold Sabin collected in the sacred valley are stolen by frontiersmen, a bloody confrontation between the settlers and Indians ensues.

Menace in Red Chaps by Eli Colter: The people of Seco Range are shocked when Kurt Quillan turns twenty and becomes a hardened killer. Though he shoots in self defense, he seems to never have a witness. Then Lem Strickland, his foster father, becomes victim number eight. The locals are irate and pursue Kurt, whom they believe is a cold-blooded killer.

Bryant and May on the Loose by Christopher Fowler: The Peculiar Crimes Unit is no more. After years of defying the odds and infuriating their superiors, detectives Arthur Bryant and John May have at last crossed the line. While Bryant takes to his bed, the rest of the team take to the streets looking for new careers, leading one of them to stumble upon a murder.

How to Wash a Cat by Rebecca M. Hale: After Uncle Oscar dies mysteriously and leaves his antique store to his niece, she begins to suspect foul play. In the company of her two cats, she follows a twisted trail of deception that leads all the way back to the days of the Gold Rush.

Fransesca's Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli: When Francesca Campamile's children move away, she feels useless. When she sees a want ad for a part-time nanny and begins working for Loretta Simmons, it is time for Francesca to work her magic and the best place to start is in the kitchen.

Riders of Deathwater Valley by James C. Work: Art Pendragon, owner of the Keystone ranch, has called a special meeting of the ranchers to address the problem of rustling. When the rustlers raid a picnic of women and children and kill a Keystone rider, war is immediately declared.

One of Ours by Willa Cather: Claude Wheeler is alienated from his parents, all but rejected by his wife, and is dissatisfied with farming. It is only when America enters the First World War that Claude finds the purpose he has searched for.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline: Reporter Ellen Gleeson is stunned when she sees her adopted son Will on a missing child flier, and she is forced to decide whether she is willing to uncover the truth about her son's birth and possibly risk losing him forever.

Savor the Moment: Wedding cake baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working a wedding planning company with her three best friends, but she's too low key to appreciate all the luxuries that her clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is Delaney, her friend's older brother whom she has had a crush on since childhood. She is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is out of her reach.

Return to Promise by Debbie Macomber: Life was everything Cal and Jane Patterson could dream of, until their marriage begins to fall apart with the help of a young woman who has her sights on Cal. The couple separates and Jane returns to her childhood home in California, forcing both Cal and herself to confront what they really want in life.

Dark Fire by Elizabeth Lowell: Cynthia hires survival specialist Trace Rawlings to accompany her on her trip to Ecuador at her father's insistence, and though she finds him rude, demanding, and egotistical, she soon discovers he is all the man she needs.

Murders on Elderberry Road by Sally Goldenbaum: Writer, quilter and nurturer of the Queen Bees quilting group Portia "Po" Paltrow jogged toward the shops along Elderberry Road. It was a peaceful morning until a cat's shrill cry tipped her off to the body lying just inside the quilt shop.

Noelle by Diana Palmer: Orphan Noelle Brown finds herself in the midst of high-society after her charming Benefactor, Andrew Paige, welcomes her into his home. But her passions are torn between Andrew and his wild Stepbrother, Jared Dunn.

Bonner's Stallion by T.V. Olsen: Bonner's life was about to get a lot harder. He had already lost his woman, and he was about to lose his son and his mountain ranch to a rich and powerful enemy. It was right about the same time that El Diablo Rojo - the feared and hated rogue stallion - came back into Bonner's life.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #6

2010-07-09T10:29:00.002-06:00

#6 In the sport of surfing, what does the term "goofy foot" refer to?

Carnegie Arts Center Garden Walk

2010-07-08T11:35:00.003-06:00

Next week, we are going to be a participant in the Carnegie Art Center's Annual garden Walk fundraiser! We have been hard at work replanting our rose garden (with thanks to the Friends of the Library for purchasing the new roses and mulch!) and are in the progress of working on the many other garden areas located on the grounds. The St. John's Lutheran Church brass band has been booked to provide some hopping entertainment as well!

The Garden Walk is a garden party fundraiser held annually by the Carnegie Arts Center, and it is a wonderful bloom-food-and-art-filled evening! A number of area gardens are spruced up for the participants to enjoy, followed by a grand finale dinner and fine art auction, with all proceeds going to the Carnegie Art Center. The art center is a treasure our community is lucky to have. I have participated in the walk the past 3 years, and it makes for quite a delightful evening. So grab a friend (or two!) and mark the calendar!

Tickets to the event are $25 and can be purchased

by contacting the Carnegie Arts Center at

762-4571 or 204 W. 4th St.

The walk will be held next Thursday

July 15th and begins at 5:00pm.

New Book Spotlight

2010-07-07T18:35:00.002-06:00

We recently received and are processing the book The Passage by Justin Cronin, and from what I have heard, this is suppose to be one of the hot new books of the summer! It has received good reviews from a number of sources and was one of Oprah's summer picks. Call today to place a hold (762-1387)!

"Every so often a novel-reader's novel comes along: an enthralling, entertaining story wedded to simple, supple prose, both informed by tremendous imagination. Summer is the perfect time for such books, and this year readers can enjoy the gift of Justin Cronin's The Passage. Read fifteen pages and you will find yourself captivated; read thirty and you will find yourself taken prisoner and reading late into the night. It has the vividness that only epic works of fantasy and imagination can achieve. What else can I say? This: read this book and the ordinary world disappears."--Stephen King

Click here for more info from Barnes and Noble

One Book One Alliance

2010-07-07T14:36:00.005-06:00

In celebration of Alliance's new military cemetery, we will be hosting a One Book, One Alliance reading event. All interested persons are encouraged to stop by the library and check out the book World War II: Prairie Invasion by Gloria Clark. The book is Ms. Clark's master thesis which is centered around the Alliance Army Air Base. A number of copies are available for checkout at the circulation desk.

In August, in conjunction with the city-wide celebration of the cemetery opening, we will be hosting a program in which the author will give a presentation on the history of the air base. So in preparation for the program, make sure you come in and check out a copy of the book, available now!

Bookworm

2010-07-06T13:56:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful, fun-filled Fourth of July! Below are some of our newer titles, so be sure to stop in and pick up some reading material for the coming week. We also placed a nice, big order for new books, which will hopefully be hitting the shelves later this week sometime. As soon as they come in we'll be working hard to get them out on the floor :-)

Fiction

Invisible by Lorena McCourtney: Ivy Malone puts her investigative skills to good use after someone begins vandalizing the local cemetery, but her failure to turn up any solid clues leads her into a dangerous situation that threatens her safety.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard: When Jody Linder realizes that Billy Crosby, the neighbor who was convicted of killing her father, is slated to be released from prison, she doesn't expect the heated exchanges with Collin, Bill Crosby's son, or the discovery that underneath their antagonism is a shared sense of loss that no one else could possibly understand.

A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans: Hopeless romantic Laura Foster heads on vacation with her parents after her latest relationship ends in the near destruction of her entire life, and she hopes the trip will offer her a distraction from romance, until she meets a handsome estate manager who forces her to rethink her new position on love.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah: Kate Mularkey is thrilled when Tully Hart moves in across the street, and the two form an immediate friendship that remains strong through the next thirty years, until one act of betrayal threatens to destroy both their lives and the friendship that has seen them through life's highs and lows.

Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber: Hannah Everett dies at an early age and leaves behind a letter for her husband to open on the first anniversary of her death that provides the names of three possible choices for a second wife.

Emily Ever After by Anne Dayton: Emily Hinton moves from her small hometown to Manhattan where she lands a job at a publishing house and attracts the attention of Bennett, but she soon finds herself struggling to balance her desire for an exciting life, and her need to uphold her moral standards.

Storm Prey by John Sandford: Lucas Davenport's wife, surgeon Weather Karkinnen, becomes a key witness when the getaway car from a botched robbery almost collides with her, making Weather a target for the criminals, who will stop at nothing to keep her quiet, leaving Lucas to protect his wife and solve the case before he loses everything.

Nonfiction

Undoing Depression by Richard O’Connor: The book teaches us how to replace depressive patterns with a new and more effective set of skills.

Windmills of the West by David R. Stoecklein: The book traces the important heritage of the windmill throughout the western states and old Mexico. His images are accompanied by a brief history of windmills and quotations.

Understanding Your Suicide Grief by Alan D. Wolfelt: Using the metaphor of the wilderness, the book introduces 10 touchstones to assist the survivor in this naturally complicated and particularly painful journey.

Tennis Strokes and Tactics by John Littleford: The book shows skills demonstrated visually from five angles, the 360 degree view show how to accurately position your feet, body ad racket so you can adopt the correct stance.

Cowgirls: The West was populated with strong-willed women who worked and played as men did in the saddles of their favorite bucking broncos -- women whose sacrifices, hard work, and can-do attitude helped build a nation.

How To Start a Home Based Conulting Business by Bert Holtje: The book contains everything one needs to know to set themselves up as a home-based consultant, create a demand for their services, and make money.

The Real History of the Cold War by Alan Axelrod: This book strips away layers of myth and propaganda to give a clear, concise account of the globe-spanning conflict that left its mark on the world of today.

Summer Reading Trivia Question #5

2010-07-02T08:58:00.003-06:00

#5 What do the red, white and blue colors of our flag represent?

Have a fun and safe 4th of July Weekend!

We'll be closing this evening at 5:00 and will open again on Tuesday.

4th of July Holiday

2010-07-01T15:44:00.002-06:00

We will be closed on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, July 3rd-5th, in celebration of the Fourth of July holiday!

If you are needing a book or movie to check out over the weekend, we will be open for our normal Friday hours tomorrow from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Be sure to check back in tomorrow for this week's Summer Reading Trivia Contest question! I'm working up a good prize for the winner of the contest, which I hope to display in the library and here on the blog sometime in the next few weeks :-)

Summer Reading Fish Portraits

2010-06-30T19:17:00.004-06:00

This year's Summer Reading activity for the children's program includes a Fish Portrait, where the children are asked to draw themselves as a fish and describe what they would do all day long. The potraits are hanging along the west wall of the library, and we would love for you to come in and vote for your favorite fish. The winner will receive a prize at the end of the program.

The kids put a lot of effort into their pictures and they are all quite wonderful to look at, so stop in and take a peek!

Bookworm

2010-06-29T15:18:00.003-06:00

Fiction

Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher: Tavi must thwart assassination attempts and court treachery in order to save Alera Imperia, the capital of the realm, from a mysterious attack from across the sea.

Changes by Jim Butcher: Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, discovers Susan's connection with professional wizard Harry Dresden and plans to use it to force Harry to embrace the darkness within himself in order to save himself, Susan, and their child and surrender to the Red Court.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave: A confrontation between a sixteen-year-old Nigerian orphan, called Little Bee, and a wealthy British couple on vacation has life-changing consequences for everyone involved.

Hangman's Root by Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles investigates when a prominent researcher is murdered and suspicion falls on her friend, the Cat Lady, a biologist and animal rights activist.

Innocent by Scott Turow: Appellate Court Judge Rusty Sabich is on trial for the murder of his wife, pitted against Tommy Molto, the prosecuting attorney whom Sabich faced years before in a similar trial.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult: To the outside world, they seem to have it all. Cassie Barrett, an anthropologist, and Alex Rivers, one of Hollywood's hottest actors, met on the set of a motion picture in Africa. They shared childhood tales, toasted the future, and declared their love in a fairy-tale wedding. But when they return to California, something alters the picture of their perfect marriage.

Subterranean by James Rollins: A hand-picked team of specialists encounter horror beyond imagination when they embark on an expedition to the center of the world.

Nonfiction
Whole Body Cleansing by Gaetano Morello: The book gives the proper way to cleanse and detoxify, this practical and comprehensive guide promotes an inside out approach that enables the body to detoxify safely, effectively, thoroughly, and consistently.

What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff: The book includes information on exercise, diet, pinpointing ovulation, lifestyle, workplace, and insurance changes you'll want to consider, and how to keep your relationship strong.

Personal Defense for Women by Gila Hayes: The book shows you how to build awareness to avoid confrontations and how to fight back when necessary.

Love Your Body, Love Your Life by Sarah Maria: This book provides the guidance, the hope, and the courage to let go of distorted perceptions that prevent you from loving your body.

Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington: Booker T. Washington, the son of a slave woman and a white man, recounts his rise from slavery to become the most influential black leader of his time in the U.S., and founder of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Based on the Book

2010-06-29T15:04:00.002-06:00

Beverly Cleary will forever be a staple in juvenile literature, and the author of The Mouse and the Mortocycle has another of her fabulous series hitting the big screen this month. Ramona and Beezus is sure to draw the young crowds into the theatre, and is based on Cleary's classic Ramona books, many of which are available in our juvenile fiction section at eith JF CLE or JPB CLE.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #4

2010-06-24T08:43:00.004-06:00

#4 What was the name of the girl who was the original model for the Coppertone logo and how old was she when the ads came out?

What actress made her debut starring as the Coppertone Girl in TV commercials?

Since this is a triple wammy, you're name will be entered in the drawing for each correct answer.

To participate, simply email your answer to Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net or give us your answer at the desk. Don't forget to include your full name. For every correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize. I will post a question at least once every week, maybe more, so be sure to check in often.

Bookworm

2010-06-22T11:13:00.003-06:00

Nonfiction

He Was My Chief by Christa Schroeder: Christa Schroeder, Adolf Hitler's personal secretary from 1933 until her arrest in 1945, reveals her observations on the actions and behaviors of the Führer and his inner circle, as well as Hitler's daily habits, his relationship with his family, his sense of humor, and more.

My Journey with Farrah by Alana Stewart: Presents a memoir of the author's friendship with Farrah Fawcett, covering their support of each other through life in Hollywood and various family issues, focusing on the three years spent dealing with Fawcett's debilitating disease.

Not Without Hope by Nick Schuyler: Nick Schuyler recounts the harrowing forty-three hours he spent stranded on an overturned boat with three friends during brutal storms in the Gulf of Mexico in early March 2009.

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright: Chronicles the events leading up to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, offering an in-depth look at the Al Qaeda terrorist group's planning of the attacks and the events that prompted them.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: Examines the experiences of the children and husband of Henrietta Lacks, who, twenty years after her death from cervical cancer in 1951, learned doctors and researchers took cells from her cervix without consent which were used to create the immortal cell line known as the HeLa cell; provides an overview of Henrietta's life; and explores issues of experimentation on African-Americans and bioethics.

Here's the Story by Maureen McCormick: Maureen McCormick, the actress who portrayed Marcia Brady on the popular television show "The Brady Bunch," shares the story of her life, discussing her off-screen insecurities, her struggles with drug addiction and depression, and her difficult relationship with her parents, and telling how she was finally able to find her true voice and reclaim her life as a performer, wife, and mother.

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman: Relates the story of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, Christian zookeepers at the Warsaw Zoo, who helped save the lives of approximately three hundred Polish Jews during World War II by housing and feeding them on zoo grounds and teaching them how to "pass" as Aryan.

The Gun Digest Book of Personal Protection & Home Defense by Robert K. Campbell: Advice from a seasoned law-enforcement professional provides information on personal protection both inside and outside the home. It includes explanation of legal issues, selection of firearms and skill-building drills and exercises.

Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad: A memoir discussing the author's upbringing as a young sportsman and tragic experience in a plane crash with his father, father's girlfriend, and pilot at the age of eleven, covering his lone survival of the crash and harsh conditions.

Windows 7 Quick Steps by Marty Matthews: Color screenshots with streamlined explanations show you how to use all the new and improved features of Windows 7.

IPhone and IPod Touch Quick Steps by Dwight Spivey: Color photos and screenshots with clear instructions how you how to configure and sync you device, make calls and more to make the best use of the technology.

Buddy Holly Lives: his life and his music, the legend and legacy by Hal Leonard: A great souvenir songbook featuring 33 songs and photos.

The Complete Guide to Flaggs of the World by Brian Johnson Barker: This comprehensive inventory features the flags of more than 220 countries and territories—25 of them new, including The Isle of Man, Serbia, and Somaliland.

365 Ways to Get a Good Night's Sleep by Ronald L. Kotler: This book addresses the surprisingly complex issue of sleep in easy-to-tackle steps.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #3

2010-06-21T12:06:00.005-06:00

Today is the Summer Solstice, which marks the beginning of summer and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

#3 What time today officially marked the beginning of summer?

Based on the Book

2010-06-21T11:37:00.003-06:00

The Girl Who Played With Fire, based on the novel of the same name by Steig Larsson, releases in theatres in July. The novels in the series are widely popular (the third book in the series will be coming to the library soon), so if you haven't already read the book, be sure to do so before checking out the movie.

The electrifying follow-up to the phenomenal best seller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and this time it is Lisbeth Salander, the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker, who is the focus and fierce heart of the story.

Mikael Blomkvist—crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium—has decided to publish a story exposing an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.On the eve of publication, the two reporters responsible for the story are brutally murdered. But perhaps more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander.

The Moth Podcasts

2010-06-18T11:11:00.004-06:00

The weather looks to be amazing this weekend! Perfect weather for taking a walk, working in the yard, taking the kids to the pool, fishing, going for a bike ride, swimming at the lake, playing croquet, going on a picnic, etc. etc. And after all that outdoor fun, a little R&R will be in order. Enter The Moth Short Story Podcasts.

The Moth is an organization based in New York that works to keep the art of storytelling alive and well, and they have been producing sold-out storytelling shows in New York for over a decade. The Podcasts have been produced from the best of these live shows. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as "New York's hottest and hippest literary ticket", The Moth is sure to please any fan of the oral tradition. (Podcasts can also be listened to using I-Tunes.)

Yann Martel Interview

2010-06-17T11:16:00.005-06:00

We recently added the book Life of Pi by Yann Martel to our collection, which won the Mann Booker Prize in 2002. It is the story of a boy and a tiger stranded together at sea in a small boat, and the difficulties that arise from such a situation (which I'm sure are many). As I was processing the book, it sounded good, so I added it to my much-too-long list of books to read. Then today, I stumbled across an interview with the author while cataloging the July/August edition of Writer's Digest magazine, so I thought I would share it with you. He seems to be an author to watch, and I am going to recommend we purchase his new book, Beatrice and Virgil, which concerns the subject of the Holocaust.

Click here to read the interview.

It also appears that this writer has an interesting side project concerning reader advisory as well. Click here for more info.

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #2

2010-06-15T17:00:00.005-06:00

#2 What was the original name for popsicles, and how old was the inventor? (This is a two part question, so for each correct answer your name will be entered into the drawing.)

Click here for links to 50+ popsicle recipes to help you beat the heat this summer in a tasty way!

To participate, simply email your answer to Ronda at rlarson@cityofalliance.net or give us your answer at the desk. Don't forget to include your full name. For every correct answer, your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize. I will post a question at least once every week, maybe more, so be sure to check in often.

Bookworm

2010-06-15T16:40:00.002-06:00

Large Print Fiction

Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson: Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz, planning a wedding reception for a spoiled bride who has decided to change the location to the Gold Gulch Spa, investigates the death of a family friend who died in a suspicious car accident and uncovers a link between the man's death and research being conducted at the spa.

Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy: A devastating fire on a tourist boat brings four strangers to a small Greek island village where they becomes friends, share their problems, and receive help from the wise Vonni, an Irish woman who came to the island thirty years earlier to follow her true love.

Mail-Order Bride by Debbie Macomber: Caroline Myers, having been left by her fiancé, agrees to accompany her aunts on a vacation to Alaska, and when she arrives, Caroline realizes the women have set her up to be the mail-order bride of Paul Trevor, which, at first, sounds like a horrible idea, until she meets the rugged Alaskan.

A Catered Birthday Party by Isis Crawford: Sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons, owners of A Little Taste of Heaven catering, are hired to cater a birthday party for Trudy, a dog, but the luncheon goes awry when Trudy's owner Annabel Colbert, a woman with a wealth of enemies, is poisoned at the party, leaving Bernie and Libby to find the killer.

Spinning Forward by Terri DuLong: Sydney Webster moves to a small island after her husband's death leaves her destitute and homeless, and, as she finds a new direction in her life and opens her own knitting and yarn shop, she uncovers the truth about her past and learns to accept her future.

Ciao Bella by Gina Buonaguro: For Graziella, the quiet, cultured life she lived in Venice with her musician husband, Ugo, was everything she could have hoped for, but when Italy allied itself with Nazi Germany in 1940, her world changed forever.

Bar 20 by Clarence E. Mulford: Texan Hopalong Cassidy could fan a gun every bit as well as Billy the Kid. Not a soul in Texas could beat him, until he met Slim Travennes. No man could stand against him and live. Hoppy could stand or die. He had no other choice.

North to Texas by Noel Loomis: Texas Rancher Roy Talley's opportunity to build a fortune becomes a chance to avenge the murders of his brothers who were Union Sympathizers killed during the bloody Mueces Massacre.

The Savage Breed by Randy Denmon: A decade after they fought for Texas, Travis Ross and Chase McAlister plunge into the brutal madness of the Mexican American War. Amid the fighting and suffering, they discover how much has changed, how has remained the same, and that in the furious fight for survival they've made the most dangerous enemy of all.

Curing the Blues with a New Pair of Shoes by Dixie Cash: After someone steals the blue suede shoes on display at Hogg's Drive-in, which were there to honor Elvis Presley's birthday, Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin agree to help Salt Lick's sheriff nab the thief.

The Secret of Everything by Barbara O’Neal: Tessa Harlow leads hiking tours for adventurous vacationers. while researching for a possible future tour, she begins having nightmares.

Murder at Longborn by Tracy Kiely: Invited to join her Aunt Winnie for a How to Host a Murder Party on New Year's Eve at Winnie's new Cape Cod B and B, Elizabeth Parker must unearth old secrets and new motives in order to clear her beloved aunt of suspicion when the local wealthy miser ends up the unscripted victim.

West of the Tularosa by Louis L’Amour: A collection of three stories that have been restored according to how they first appeared in their initial serial publication in magazines.

The Dry Gulcher by Wayne D. Overholser: Justin Albright planned to stampede his huge Skull herd through Maroon Canyon into the rich grassland beyond just to see the handful of settlers trampled into their land. But Dan Matson and the brave valley ranchers weren't going to take that abuse lying down.

Based on the Book

2010-06-14T16:43:00.003-06:00

The movie Chocolat, released in 2000 and featuring a role by the ever charming Johnny Depp, is based on the novel of the same name written by Joanne Harris, which is available for checkout at FIC HAR. We also have the DVD available to checkout at DVD FIC CHO.

Chocolat is an enchanting novel about a small, provencial French town turned upside down by the arrival of a bewitching chocolate confectioner, Vianne Rocher, and her spirited young daughter. Their presence in the village forces the residents to take a closer look at their own lives.

Isn't that neat!

2010-06-11T20:00:00.001-06:00

With vacation season upon us, GasBuddy is a handy website that helps you find the best gas prices, no matter how familiar you are with the local area. Simply type in the zipcode and you will be given a list of gas stations, sorted by price and updated within the last 36 hours. This tool would definitely come in handy in those places where you may not be familiar with gas prices, like Denver, so be sure to bookmark the site on your mobile devices. Isn't that neat!

Ebooks to be added to our Overdrive collection!

2010-06-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

In the very near future, we will be adding ebooks to our Overdrive collection, which is something I am very excited about! 21st century, here we come :-) They will be popular titles and can be transferred to some readers. If you have been considering an ereader, you may wish to find one that is compatible with the Overdrive format. Cick here for a list of compatible devices.

It also looks like Overdrive is working on an app to make titles available on a number of other mobile devices. For more info, click here.

To access our current Overdrive audio book collection, go to http://www.nebraska.lib.overdrive.com/

Adult Summer Reading Trivia Question #1

2010-06-09T11:51:00.004-06:00

Following in the spirit of our theme this year, the first question in the trivia contest is:

#1 What percentage of the human brain is made up of water?

Good luck and let the trivia begin!

Bookworm

2010-06-08T13:38:00.002-06:00

Fiction

Hush by Kate White: Lake Warren, in the middle of a custody battle with her estranged husband, has a one-night stand with her colleague, Dr. Keaton, and wakes to find he has been murdered, forcing her to lie to the police while trying to figure out the identity of the real killer.

The Killing Edge by Heather Graham: Chloe Marin receives a ghostly visit from a young swimsuit model that has disappeared and uses her experience as a psychologist and police consultant to help find the girl's killer and bring him to justice before he is able to strike again.

Stay a Little Longer by Dorothy Garlock: Rachel Watkins runs a boardinghouse, while raising her orphaned niece. Her older sister, Alice, lost her husband, Mason, in WWI, and then died the day Charlotte was born. Years later, Rachel is trying to save their home from a banker, keep her uncle in line, and fend off the advances of a boarder. Charlotte finds an ill hobo. Rachel brings him to the house, and is stunned when she finds out who he is.

The Treaberry Strangler by Laura Childs: Theodosia, a tea shop owner, discovers the body of Daria, who ran a coveted map shop, on the street at the close of the Dickensian evening, and Detective Tidwell suspects the killer mistook Daria for Theodosia.

Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson: With the climate rapidly changing, newly elected President Phil Chase decides to focus his administration on the problem of global warming and appoints Charlie Quibler and Frank Vanderwal, who foiled a conspiracy to steal the election from Chase, to head the team of scientists working on a solution.

A Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher: The High Lord of Kalare launches a rebellion against the aging First Lord, Gaius Sextus, who must enlist the help of the High Lord of Aquitaine and Tavi of Calderon in order to defeat his enemies.

Hero at Large by Janet Evanovich: Ken Callahan stops to help single mom Chris Nelson with her car not realizing his life is about to take a drastic change, with broken bones, a bruised heart, a Zamboni, and a meddlesome Aunt Edna all in the mix.

Nonfiction

Shattered Dreams by Irene Spenser: Irene Spencer provides an account of her experiences after following what she believed was God's leading to marry her brother-in-law Verlan LeBaron at the age of sixteen, becoming his second wife, and discusses their life after a government raid on their fundamentalist, polygamous Mormon village, forced them to flee to Mexico where they lived in squalor until she was able to take her children and make an escape to the outside world.

American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson: Craig Ferguson delivers a moving and achingly funny memoir of living the American dream as he journeys from the mean streets of Glasgow, Scotland, to the comedic promised land of Hollywood.

The Secret Halocaust Diaries by Nonna Bannister: Contains transcripts of documents and diaries kept by Nonna Bannister, a woman born into a wealthy family in the Ukraine whose life changed dramatically when the Nazis invaded Russia during World War II and she was transported to Germany to work as a slave laborer.

It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump by John O’Hurley: Actor John O'Hurley shares anecdotes about dogs and the life lessons that have come from his experiences of owning canines as pets.

The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin: A guide on how to start a craft business, with tips and guidelines from do-it-yourself insiders on basic business practices, marketing, making connections online through blogs and social media, craft fairs and selling online, and other related topics.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah: Ishmael Beah describes his experiences after he was driven from his home by war in Sierra Leone and picked up by the government army at the age of thirteen, serving as a soldier for three years before being removed from fighting by UNICEF and eventually moving to the United States.

The Liberators by Michael Hirsh: Draws on interviews with more than 150 soldiers to recount the experiences and impressions of the Americans who liberated the Nazi death camps at the end of World War II, describing the atrocities they witnessed and the lasting impact the experience had on their lives.

Based on the Book

2010-06-08T11:57:00.004-06:00

The new Twilight saga movie comes to theatres at the end of this month, so there is still plenty of time to read or re-read the book before the big screen debut. If you have not read any of the Twilight books, you should be able to see the first two movies and then jump into Eclipse pretty easily. We have two book copies and one audio CD in our collection.

The new Stephanie Meyer book is here!

2010-06-05T09:37:00.002-06:00

Centered around the life of a newborn vampire, Bree, who appeared briefly in the Eclipse novel, this new addition to the Stephanie Meyer bibliography is sure to be another page turner! We have added two print copies and the audio book to our collection. Contact us to have your name placed on the hold list.

Currently Reading

2010-06-03T10:17:00.005-06:00

I am currently reading the book Nation by Terry Pratchett, and it is very enjoyable. Definately one I would recommend! I think it would be a good book club pick, as there is a lot going on that can fuel discussion.

Set in Victorian times, it is the story of a young Islander named Mau who, as he returns from his "quest for manhood", is caught in a giant tidal wave. He survives, but his village does not. His unlikely counterpart is a girl from English Society who is also a lone survivor and has been shipwrecked on Mau's island. The very foundation of their existence, their values, beliefs and rule systems, are brought into question. For instance, the Victorian girl invites Mau to tea after their first meeting, as proper english protocol requires; however, she is worried that they need a chaperone as it would be "unseemly" for the two to meet alone, and given the circumstances, she decides that Captain Roberts, even though he is dead, will have to do.

While the idea of meeting for proper tea with the dead captain as a chaperone after surviving a horrific catasrophe seems absurd and a little humorous, Pratchett continually creates realistic characters and situations throughout the book that help draw the reader into the story. But I won't give away any more details, incase any of you decide you would like to read it :-)

Click here for to find more information concerning Nation by Terry Pratchett, including a Podcast with the author, an excerpt, discussion guides and more!

If you are currently reading a book and would like to share, or if you would like to make a recommendation to our readers and patrons, simply leave a comment on this post or email me at tkeenan@cityofallince.net and I will post it here for you. Any suggestions are appreciated and encouraged!

Isn't that neat!

2010-06-02T11:33:00.003-06:00

www.jobspice.com

Job Spice is an online tool that helps you quickly build a resume and save it as a PDF file for easy emailing, which is a wonderful way to tout your computer skills to your potential new employer! It boasts that most resumes are completed within fifteen minutes, and there is no need to create any online accounts. All you do is click on "Create a Resume", choose your sections, and fill out the corresponding fields. It offers a number of design options which are sure to help attract attention and pull your resume to the top of the stacks. Isn't that neat!

Bookworm

2010-06-01T13:26:00.002-06:00

Fiction

Think Twice by Lisa Scottoline: Bennie Rosato finds herself buried alive at the hands of her evil twin Alice, but Alice, who has assumed Bennie's identity, underestimates Bennie's determination to stay alive and seek revenge.

Tough to Tame by Diana Palmer: Cappie Drake is alarmed at her boss, veterinarian Bently Rydel's gruff nature and frequent ranting, but with time comes understanding and it is not long before understanding turns to love.

Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie: Mary Alice Brannigan encounters a host of demons and other supernatural creatures when she is commissioned to restore the decaying Dreamland Amusement Park.

Without Mercy by Lisa Jackson: Julia "Jules" Farentino, disturbed by nightmares since the murder of her father, applies for a teaching job, where her half-sister Shaylee had been sent after running into problems with the law, but when Jules arrives, a series of murders and strange occurrences make her wonder if she is in danger.

The 5th Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly: In their race to rebuild the final pieces of the Machine and save the world, soldier Jack West Jr. and his team discover an ancient inscription containing a rhyme about five mysterious warriors who possess knowledge that is vital for unlocking the secrets of the machine and its powerful pillars.

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker: Brad Raines is trying to solve a serial killer case in which a bridal veil is left at each crime scene. He enlists the help of Paradise, a young woman who can experience the final moments of a person's life when touching their dead body; he wonders if he can prevent the next murder.

Deception by Jonathon Kellerman: Homicide detective Milo Sturgis turns to his friend, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, for help when he is assigned to investigate the murder of Elise Freeman, a teacher, who left behind a DVD detailing the abuse she suffered at the hands of three sadistic colleagues.

Large Print Fiction

Chosen to Die by Lisa Jackson: Detective Regan Pescoli has worked the -Star Crossed Killer- case for months, never imagining she'd be captured by the madman she's been hunting. Regan knows exactly what he's capable of and avoiding the same fate will take every drop of her courage.

The 9th Judgement by James Patterson: Detective Lindsay Boxer has only the cryptic message written in lipstick on a car windshield as evidence from the brutal shooting of a mother and her child as they were returning to their car in a mall parking garage, and things become complicated when an empty safe is discovered along with the body of an popular actor.

The Lone Texan by Jodi Thomas: Sage McMurray returns to Texas where she is taken hostage in a robbery. She's furious and terrified especially when they plan to auction her to the highest bidder. Drummond Roak has offered twice the highest bid. Although he makes his living as a gunfighter, he has always loved Sage and hopes to prove his worth.

Casting Off by Nicole R. Dickson: Rebecca Moray goes to a tiny island to research a book on knitting and to escape her secrets. Her daughter, Rowan, accompanies her and befriends Sean, an old fisherman with secrets of his own. When current storms threaten to resurrect old ones, they find themselves on a collision course.

The September Society by Charles Finch: Students disappear and die at Oxford and detective Charles Lenox discovers bizarre clues, including a murdered cat and a card cryptically referring to "The September Society."

Heir of the Dog by Judi McCoy: Ellie Engleman is a professional dog walker and along with her terrier mix Rudy, finds the corpse of a harmless homeless man in Central Park and becomes the prime suspect for murder. It turns out she is the sole beneficiary of the victim's in heritance.

A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer: Grace Hawkes has not spoken to her family since her mother's sudden death. Her father abandoned her two brothers, a sister and herself long before that. Now he has had a stroke and the family is adamant that she come home. Tensions run high a Grace reconnects with her family and they all band together in defense of the second Mrs. Hawkes' deceptions.

Adult Summer Reading Program!

2010-05-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

We are now signing up for the Adult Summer Reading Program! This year's theme is Water Your Mind - Read! Participation is easy - all you have to do is read a book and fill out a little sheet. Bring the sheet back and you'll be entered into a drawing for prizes! We also will be having another Adult Summer Reading Trivia Contest here on the blog, beginning June 9th, as well as another guessing game. So be sure to stop in & sign up; we hope to see you soon!

Isn't That Neat!

2010-05-27T12:04:00.007-06:00

As a librarian, part of my job is to help you, our wonderful patrons, find specific and useful information in a world that is overflowing with all kinds of information, some specific and useful, some not. So, with this in mind, I am going begin a feature titled "Isn't That Neat" where I will direct you to useful websites and services that can be found on the wonderful worldwide web. I have been hording a list of them for a while now from a variety of resources, and thought the time has come to share :-)

The first featured site is www.filleritem.com

While shopping locally is always best, the reality is that people also shop online at places like Amazon. This nifty little website helps you secure that coveted free "Amazon Super-Saver" shipping by finding a filler item to add to your order. So, if you need to add a $2.00 item to receive free shipping, it will come back with a list of $2.00 items that are eligible for free shipping - just like that! Isn't that neat!

Bookworm

2010-05-26T11:10:00.001-06:00

Fiction

The Sheen of the Silk by Anne Perry: In thirteenth-century Constantinople, physician Ann Zarides weaves her way through Byzantine society in disguise in an effort to learn why her twin brother, Justinian, had been accused of murdering a nobleman before being exiled to the desert.

Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler: Husband and wife treasure hunting team Sam and Remi Fargo find a World War II U-boat in the swamps in Maryland and end up being pursued by a Russian Persian millionaire who will stop at nothing to get his hands on a bottle the Fargos now hold which was part of Napoleon's Lost Cellar.

Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick: Crime lord Griffin Winters fears he has been hit with the Winters Curse, which brings madness to the Winters man who inherits a magical artifact called the Burning Lamp, forcing Griffin to turn to psychic Adelaide Pyne for help, unaware that Adelaide is hiding the missing lamp.

Caught by Harlan Coben: Reporter Wendy Tynes has made it her mission to bring down sexual predators on national television, but she begins to doubt her instincts after exposing social worker Dan Mercer until she discovers a link between Mercer and Haley McWaid, a seventeen-year-old girl who has been missing for three months.

The Farmer's Daughter by Jim Harrison: Collects three novellas from Jim Harrison, including the title selection, a coming of age story in which a young girl faces the harsh realities of life when her mother leaves; "Brown Dog Redux," in which Brown Dog tries to prevent his adopted daughter from being locked in an institution; and in "The Games of Night," a retired werewolf reflects on his past while he attempts to lead a normal life.

Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay: David Harwood, a reporter in a small town in upstate New York, is diverted from his investigation of a possible scandal related to a local development project when his wife mysteriously disappears while on an outing to an amusement park with him and their young son.

Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods: Stone Barrington's latest client pulls him into the posh world of high society as Stone helps her locate a missing man whom someone wants dead.

Nonfiction

Game Changes by John Heilemann: Political reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin offer a behind the scenes look at the 2008 presidential campaign, discussing how Barack Obama rose from a virtual unknown to win the election, how the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton shaped her campaign, why McCain chose a novice governor for his running mate, and other related topics.

Someone Will Be With You Shortly by Lisa Kogan: A collection of essays in which Lisa Kogan reflects on the people and events that have shaped her life, her fears and idiosyncrasies, her feelings on politics, marriage, motherhood, and popular culture, and the importance of having fun.

Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People by Elizabeth B. Brown: The book presents real-life anecdotes, short diagnostic tests, and tools to help readers assess their own situation with difficult people, chaotic social situations, and conflict while living confidently and successfully despite the presence of negativity.

Homeschooling for the Rest of Us by Sonya Haskins: Presents advice for overcoming stress, unrealistic expectations, and other challenges faced by homeschooling families. The book is intended for new and experienced homeschoolers and is applicable to a variety of teaching methods.

Michael Jackson: A Visual Documentary: 1958-2009 The Tribute Edition: From the fifties to his death in 2009, it is a complete record of his moves, grooves and music.

Dancing in the Dark by Morris Dickstein: Presents a discussion of various cultural aspects of the Great Depression, including poverty, literature, Broadway musicals, and more, examining the way the arts played a role in alleviating national suffering.

Digital Photography for Absolute Beginners of All Ages by Gavin Hoole: How to master the basics of taking creative photos, editing photos, using your photos, and organizing the photo collection.

Summer Reading is Here!

2010-05-24T15:56:00.003-06:00

Registration for Summer Reading begins today! It will continue throughout the duration of the program, and is for children entering 1st grade through 12th grade. The programs will be on Wednesday morning and will include presentations from the Mr. Conrad's Music Academy, the Riverside Zoo and more! The first reading deadline is June 9th, so be sure to stop in and sign up today!

Based on the Book

2010-05-24T15:40:00.002-06:00

The loveable character, Marmaduke, made famous by Brad Anderson's comic strip, hits the big screen the beginning of June, and while I may not be expecting a cinematic masterpiece, I know that the comic strip will always be considered a classic.

We have a collection of Marmaduke comics titled Top Dog: Marmaduke at 50 available for checkout at call number 741.5993 AND. It is sure to be a perfect selection for a lazy spring afternoon, maybe with a glass of sun tea or lemonade. Sounds perfect to me :-)

Thank You Posie Supporters!

2010-05-22T12:00:00.001-06:00

The Alliance Public Library Staff would like to thank everyone who helped make this year's Read Around the Posies another success!

Thank you to the Board for sponsoring the fundraiser, especially Melba Dickenson, who took such good care of the plants and made everything look so nice!

Thank you so very much to all of the bidders who opened up their wallets. Your funding will help us match the much needed Gates Grant for our public access computer lab.

And a very big Thank You to all of the below volunteers who donated their time and money by making the pots:

Dixie Nelson of the Alliance Chamber of Commerce

Shelbee and Tom Burke

Vicki Dickenson

Deb Dopheide of KAB

Karen Gray

Sharon Griffith

Val Keenan of Stained Glass Visions

Virgil Hatch of the APL Board

Hather Hauptman of All Seasons

Angie Heimstra

Amy Jackson

Marilyn Kuhnel

Sandy McCarthy of the Alliance Park Foundation

Heidi Manion for the Girls Basketball Team

Lue Nerland

Jerri Nyffler

Carrie Ransom for Alpha Delta Kappa

Nancy Reiber

Nancy Sherbarth for Girl Scout Troop 5

Wells Fargo

Theiles Pharmacy and Gifts

Pam Brown of Bank of the West

Terri Short

Alliance FCLA for AHS

Marlene Rose

Ashley Rose

Laurie McLaughlin for Friends of the Library

Vickie Hielscher for Sallows Military Musem

Water Your Mind - Read!

2010-05-21T12:00:00.000-06:00

The last featured Read Around the Posies pot is titled Water Your Mind - Read. It is the staff pot created and designed by our very own Cindy Birkhimer, and it's not just a pot - it's a water fountain, too!

Final bids must be in by noon tomorrow, so be sure sure to stop by and either place a bid or check on your original bid.

Money raised is going to help the Foundation match a grant to replace some of the computers in the lab, which is one of the most important services we provide. Any support you can provide is very much appreciated!

Please Don't Sit on the Flowers

2010-05-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of today's featured pots for Read Around the Posies is titled Please Don't Sit on the Flowers created by Heather Hauptman

Bidding ends tomorrow! So be sure to stop by and grab a number to bid on your favorite pot. We have over 25 amazing arrangements to choose from. All funds will go to the Alliance Public Library Foundation to help raise money for a matching grant from the Gates Foundation for new computers in the lab.

Garth Stein in LibraryThing Author Chat

2010-05-20T15:55:00.003-06:00

Garth Stein's book The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of the books I recommend most to patrons and friends, so I was delighted to discover that he is participating in a an Author Chat on http://www.librarything.com/. Oh LibraryThing, how do I love thee? Let me me count the ways . . .

All you need to do is create a free account and then you can keep track of all your books as well as participate in group chats and receive recommendations based on the books you have read or want to read. And apparently you can even connect with your favorite authors, which I give two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Here's the link to the Garth Stein Author Chat page. I didn't even have to join the group to post :-)

A Book A Day

2010-05-20T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today's featured

Read Around the Posies pot

is titled A Book A Day Keeps

the Bookworms at Play and was

created by Stained Glass Visions

(my mother Valerie and myself)

It is mosaicked using glass and old books and includes a handmade glass worm garden stake.
Bidding ends Saturday, May 22nd at noon, so be sure to stop in and bid on your favorite pot. Procedes will help the Alliance Public Library Foundation match funds for a Gates grant for new computers in our public access computer lab, which is one of the most popular services we provide.

Patron Recommendation

2010-05-20T08:00:00.001-06:00

Mark Dykes recommended a book titled Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, which was featured this week in the bookworm. It is a new book and can be found in the new book section (in front of the audio CDs) under call number FIC FFO. It sounds like it would be a good read, and I have added it to my own "To Read" list, which can be viewed here on Library Thing. My list seems to get longer by the day! Do you have a "to read" list or recommendation? Leave a comment and share!

An astonishing, hotly anticipated new novel from the great literary fantasist and creator of Thursday Next, Jasper Fforde. As long as anyone can remember, society has been ruled by a Colortocracy. From the underground feedpipes that keep the municipal park green to the healing hues viewed to cure illness to a social hierarchy based upon one's limited color perception, society is dominated by color. In this world, you are what you can see. Young Eddie Russett has no ambition to be anything other than a loyal drone of the Collective. With his better-than-average red perception, he could well marry Constance Oxblood and inherit the string works; he may even have enough red perception to make prefect. For Eddie, life looks colorful. Life looks good. But everything changes when he moves with his father, a respected swatchman, to East Carmine. There, he falls in love with a Grey named Jane who opens his eyes to the painful truth behind his seemingly perfect, rigidly controlled...

Purse of Posies

2010-05-19T12:56:00.003-06:00

Today's featured

Read Around the Posies pot

is titled Purse of Posies and

was created by Sharon Griffith

Bidding ends Saturday, May 22nd at noon, so be sure to stop in and bid on your favotire pot. Procedes will help the Alliance Public Library Foundation match funds for a Gates grant for new computers in our public access computer lab, which is one of the most popular services we provide.

Bookworm

2010-05-19T12:41:00.003-06:00

Fiction

The Long Fall by Walter Mosely: Leonid McGill, an old school, African-American private investigator in Manhattan, makes the decision to stop taking on shady jobs, but the case of a high-paying client complicates his commitment to go straight.

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini: Bonnie Markham, her divorce pending and her quilt shop out of business, accepts an offer from her friend Claire to help run a quilting retreat at a bed and breakfast in Hawaii where she learns the quilting traditions of the islands, but her idyll is threatened by her estranged husband's demand for her share in the Elm Creek Quilts cooperative.

A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters: Amelia and Emerson Peabody, having agreed to accompany Major George Morley on an expedition to Palestine in search of the Ark of the Covenant, hope to be reunited with their son, Ramses, while on their trip, but information uncovered by Ramses while working on a dig in Samaria puts his life in danger and the Peabodys must ban together in order to save him and prevent a holy war.

Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers: Marta Schneider, hoping to prove her father wrong in his prediction that she will never be more than a servant, leaves her home, but she must make many sacrifices when she marries Niclas Waltert and begins her own family, and in her efforts to make her children strong, finds herself behaving more like her abusive father than her loving mother.

Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen has her hands full trying to prepare for a three-day fundraising event that includes being a magician's assistant for the talent show; but when the show's host and former love interest, Professor Bradford Ramsey, turns up dead, Hannah finds herself pouring through a list of possible suspects.

The Pall Bearers by Stephen J. Cannell: Detective Shane Skully revisits the orphanage where he was raised in order to investigate the murder of the home's director, the only one to ever take in interest in Shane when he was a child.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde: Eddie Russett, who belongs to the low-level House of Red meets Jane, a Grey Nightseer from the dark, unlit side of the village, who shows Eddie that not everything in the world is as good as he perceives.

The Plain Sense of Things by Pamela Carter Joern: A collection of interwoven stories that recount the struggles of three generations of a western Nebraska family, exploring how love, hope, and sorrow kept the family together in times of tragedy and need.

Nonfiction

This Time Together by Carol Burnett: Comedian Carol Burnett shares the story of her show business career, tells of some of the people she met throughout her years in the business, and discusses the support she received from family members, the cast of her long-running television show, and her audience.

Oprah by Kitty Kelly: A comprehensive biography of American author, producer, and television celebrity Oprah Winfrey, examining her upbringing, education, philanthropic work, and rise to fame as an icon of American culture.

Hungry Girl 1-2-3 by Lisa Lillien: Contains more than two-hundred easy-to-prepare recipes that are low in calories and fat grams, including appetizers, main dishes, snacks, desserts, and more.

Here You Have My Story by Richard E. Jensen: The book describes life on the early Plains in the words of those who came to settle in the rugged region. Originally published by the Nebraska State Historical Society between 1885 and 1919, these stories provide surprisingly accurate recollections of events and life on the Great Plains, with a focus on Nebraska.

The Politician by Andrew Young: An account of Senator John Edwards' campaign for the U.S. presidency by Edward's longest-serving aide, Andrew Young, which describes the presidential hopeful's rise and the scandal that ruined his career.

Pinwheel Fun

2010-05-17T15:59:00.002-06:00

Today's featured

Read Around the Posies pot is

Pinwheel Fun by the

Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority

Based on the Book

2010-05-17T14:55:00.002-06:00

So today I found a book that I am going to feature, though instead of the movie being based on the book, the book is based on the movie. It is a movie I remember going to see when I was a kid during the Sunday matinee, and it features Robin Williams as a grown-up-and-not-so-adventurous fairy tale character. He eventually ends up in tights crowing like a rooster. Any guesses yet? It's Hook. Terry Brooks, one of the major players in the fantasy genre, wrote a book based on the screenplay, and it is available for checkout at call number FIC BRO.

And for your enjoyment, below is the full movie upon which the terry Brooks novel is based.

Conratulations to Our Graduates

2010-05-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

The staff at the Alliance Public Library

would like to congratulate

all of the 2010 graduates,

including our very own

Anthony James and

Stephanie O'Connor!

We are proud of you both!

Read Around the Posies

2010-05-13T14:42:00.003-06:00

Les Fleurs by Michelle Abrams

The flower Pots for Read Around the Posies, our annual Library Foundation fundraiser, have been coming in over the last few days, and boy are they beautiful! Bidding begins this Saturday and will run through next Saturday at noon, silent auction style. Funds raised will help the foundation match a Gates grant for new computers for the lab.

I will be sharing some of our favorite pots with you beginning on Monday, so be sure to check back in!

Bookworm

2010-05-11T10:18:00.003-06:00

Fiction

Nowhere to Run by C. J. Box: Joe Pickett, exiled to the “warden’s graveyard” in a remote district of southern Wyoming, has one week left before regaining his old job.. On a final horseback patrol, however, a routine citation for unlicensed fishing turns into a deadly confrontation with twin brothers Caleb and Camish Grim, whose anger at the government is downright murderous.

Eight Days To Live by Iris Johansen: Eve Duncan’s adopted daughter, Jane MacGuire, has a successful art show at a Parisian gallery. But a painting titled Guilt has drawn some unwanted attention: the religious cult Sang Noir wants Jane dead.

Deliver Us From Evil by David Baldacci: Evan Waller, outwardly a respectable Canadian businessman but secretly a human trafficker who sells children into prostitution, has expanded into arranging nuclear weapons deals with Islamic fundamentalists.

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby: Annie strikes up an E-mail correspondence with Duncan's idol Tucker Crowe, a singer/songwriter who has not been heard from in years, and possibilities abound when Tucker, about to release a version of his greatest album, is summoned to England, where Annie lives.

Forty Signs of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson: The world is headed toward an environmental crisis as global warming poses a significant threat, but Charlie Quibler has a difficult time convincing a skeptical administration while his wife, Anna, attempts to protect new technology that could solve the problem from getting into the wrong hands.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris: Sookie Stackhouse, cursed with the ability to read minds, thinks she has finally gotten lucky when Bill, whose mind is totally blocked from her, comes into her life, but she soon learns that her dream man is a vampire with a bad reputation, and when a murder goes down, she begins to fear for her life.

Miss Julia renews Her Vows by Ann B. Ross: Miss Julia, concerned that her husband Sam has promised to attend marriage enrichment classes led by Dr. Fred Fowler--a man who avidly pursued her years earlier, tries hard to avoid the sessions while at the same time attempting to clear innocent Etta Mae of charges that she attacked husband-hungry widow Francie Pitts.

YA Fiction

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pheffer: Miranda Evans, her two brothers, and their mother struggle for survival a year after the moon's collision with a meteor altered the climate forever, and while things become more difficult with the arrival of six more people, including her father and stepmother, a new disaster threatens to derail the new lives they have been trying to build.

Diary of a Wimp Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney: Middle-schooler Greg Heffley nimbly sidesteps his father's attempts to change Greg's wimpy ways until his father threatens to send him to military school.

DVD Nonfiction

Big Cat Challenge: The film portrays the unique hunting skills of each of three big cats in South Africa, where cunning, speed and sheer physical power all play a part.

CDs Fiction

Rainwater by Sandra Brown: In 1934, Ella Barron struggles to keep her Texas boardinghouse afloat despite the financial hardships her neighbors are facing, which leads her to rent a room to the soft-spoken David Rainwater, who shows Ella and her ten-year-old son the true meaning of trust and compassion.

CDs Nonfiction

Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone: Profiles thirteen women who challenged social norms and government policies to prove they could be exceptional astronauts.

Based on the Book

2010-05-10T13:55:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite stories is hitting theaters yet again this coming Friday. The story of Robin Hood, most recently starring Russell Crowe, has been made into a number of movies over the years, a few of which we have available for checkout. We also have many books that retell the age old story of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Below are just a few of the available titles concerning Robin Hood. Click on the titles for more information.

Hood by Steve Lawhead puts a new spin on the familiar tale (FIC LAW)
The Adventures of Robin Hood: An English Legend by Paul Creswick is a tradition telling of the legend. (FIC CRE & YA CRE)
In a Dark Wood by Michael Cadnum tells the story of Robin Hood with the Sheriff of Nottingham as the narrator. (YA CAD)
Maid Marian by Elsa Watson offers up a romantic reimagining. (FIC WAT)

Other formats:
Some Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (a Playaway Audio book - PA JF FLY)
Disney's Robin Hood (VID EF ROB)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (VID FIC ROB)
Robin Hood Men in Tights (VID FIC ROB)

And here you will find the trailer and interviews for the 2010 release, slated to release this Friday:

May Brown Bag Tomorrow!

2010-05-06T14:36:00.002-06:00

Don Henderson reviews

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heros of Seal Team 10

by Marcus Luttrell

Friday, May 7, 12:00 noon

The Alliance Learning Center Community Rooms

(The library will close during the Brown Bag presentation)

The free program and light refreshments are provided courtesy of The Friends of the Library!

Bookworm

2010-05-06T14:29:00.003-06:00

I am late posting the bookworm this week . . . but as the saying goes, "Better late than never."

Fiction

Shattered by Karen Robards: Attorney Lisa Grant's boss sends her to the basement to organize cold case files as punishment for missing an important court date, where she finds a picture of a woman who could be her twin in a file about a family that went missing nearly thirty years earlier, and when a series of catastrophes strike, Lisa realizes her discovery of the photograph has put her life in danger.

Silent Sea by Clive Cussler: Captain Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the "Oregon," while searching for a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, make a shocking discovery that leads to further revelations involving a Chinese curse hundreds of years old.

The Telling by Beverly Lewis: Grace Byler leaves her Amish community with her new English friend to search for her estranged mother in Ohio; meanwhile, Grace's mother, Lettie, continues her own quest to find what she feels is missing and swallows her guilt over leaving her family.

Take Three by Karen Kingsbury: Film producers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison begin to question their career ambitions when they are confronted with personal crises, while Bailey Flanigan goes on a Campus Crusade retreat and figures out her relationship with Cody Coleman.

Large Print Fiction

The Badge of Harry Cole by Clifton Adams: As a deputy marshal, Harry Cole valued nothing more than his job, not even his wife, Cordelia. Along the way, he had left a trail of death and broken lives and now the memories return to haunt him as he faces Cordelia's rejection of everything he stood for.

Hanging Woman Creek by Louis L’Amour: Pike and Holt are looking to survive a winter in a Montana line shack, collect their pay and settle down for good. They cross paths with an Irish immigrant and his sister who've been burned off their land. Pike and Holt will risk everything on this fight they don't want.

Dead Man's Gold: The Loner by J.A. Johnstone: After Kid Morgan has buried his wife's killers; he heads to Mexico. On the way, he's sidetracked by some travelers who are hunting down a golden artifact. And others are after it too.

Stormy Range by D.B. Newton: After his older brothers were shot dead, Clem Hardin was left alone to try to restore peace to the range they had turned into a ruin. On one side, he faced the gang the Hardins had hired to terrorize the nesters. On the other side were those nesters who were cutting down any man named Hardin.

Let Darkness Come by Angela Hunt: Briley Lester has taken on a case of a mistreated society wife thought to have killed her abusive husband. It seems hopeless, but Briley is becoming more convinced that her client truly is innocent.

A Green Journey by Jon Hassler: Agatha McGee after a problem at the school where she teaches prompts her to travel to Ireland and look for her pen pal. She meets people that she would never have allowed herself to know before, and learns through experience that love is unpredictable.

Outlaw Canyon by Lewis B. Patten: The Outlaw Canyon is a grim hiding place and holds the answers to the disappearing cattle. Matt and Wes have been feuding since growing up -- first small spats, then over a girl, now over the missing cattle. Matt is going to ride to Outlaw Canyon and settle the feud.

The Hash Knife Outfit by Zane Grey: When Glorianna Traft came to Arizona to visit her brother Jim, the Hash Knife Outfit were stealing cattle and terrorizing the valley. Glorianna wanted to meet a real desperado and became a captive of the most dangerous killer in the gang leading to her and Jim becoming true and valiant citizens of the frontier.

Lawless Guns by Dudley Dean: The drunken gang was reliving the Civil War and their unwavering hatred for anybody who sympathized with the North.

Lord of Far Island by Victoria Holt: Ellen Kellaway was orphaned at age five and raised by wealthy cousins who never allowed her to forget their charity. When the son of a powerful London family marries her, a new world opens up. Ellen continues to have bad dreams about the image of an unfamiliar room, a door opening and a dreadful presence.

Based on the Book

2010-05-03T15:38:00.004-06:00

Iron Man 2 is being heavily promoted and is slated to release over the weekend. It is sure to have some big numbers and capture the attention of both adult and juvenile audiences.

If you have a "reluctant" reader, this is the perfect opportunity to bring him or her into the library to check out our Iron Man Comic Books. Who knows - Iron Man today could turn into War and Peace tomorrow. We have four titles available, and even though they are all currently checked out, we can certainly place them on hold. The availabe titles are Iron Man: The Creeping Doom, Iron Man: Enter the Dragon, Iron Man: Hostile Take Over, and Iron Man, Heart of Steel.

I myself am a fan of the graphic novel. I read them every once in a while for a quick paced read, and they are certainly popular among our juvenile and teen crowd. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are great examples of graphic novels for the younger crowd; however, we also have titles in the YA section that deal with more serious topics like abuse and suicide. For more information on this growing genre, click the links below:
Here are some FAQs about Graphic Novels and Comic Books
Click here for an article on engaging reluctant readers with Graphic Novels
Library Journal's list of recommended Graphic Novels for reluctant readers

Byways Passport Program

2010-04-28T14:39:00.005-06:00

I read in the paper yesterday that Nebraska Tourism is promoting travel in Nebraska through an incentive program called Byways Passport. According to their site, 27 Nebraska attractions are participating, including our very own Knight Museum and Sandhills Center and Carhenge! (Which if you haven't visited, you really should. It is marvelous!)

To play you simply pick up a souveniers passport at any of the participating locations. Collect a stamp at each location you visit. The travelers then send in the passport to win prizes. The more stamps collected, the better the prize! All participants are then entered into a drawing to win the Grand prize, a laptop computer worth $1000!

The Scenic By-Ways are a wonderful ways to support small-town America. We have many great attractions, and with the weather warming up, now is the time to take to the roads of Nebraska and Rediscover the Road Trip!

Here's a list of the statewide participants:

• Chadron State Park, in Chadron; Carhenge, in Alliance; and Fort Sidney Museum and Post Commander’s Home, in Sidney; all along the Gold Rush Byway, U.S. Hwy 385.

• Fort Robinson State Park, in Crawford; the Museum of the Fur Trade, in Chadron; and Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, in Valentine; all along the Bridges to Buttes Byway, U.S. Hwy 20.

• The Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation, in Red Cloud; the Rock Creek Station State Historical Park and State Recreation Area in Fairbury; and the Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice; all along the Heritage Highway, U.S. Hwy. 136.

• The Woodland Trails/Honoring-the-Clans Sculpture Garden and Cultural Plaza, in Winnebago; the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, in Bancroft; and Fort Atkinson State Historical Park, in Fort Calhoun; all along the Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway, U.S. Hwy 75.

• The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center, in North Platte; the Great Platte River Road Archway, in Kearney; and the Louis E. May Historical Museum, in Fremont; all along the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway, U.S. Hwy. 30.

• Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park, in Burwell; the Happy Jack Peak and Chalk Mine, in Scotia; and the Museum of Nebraska Major League Baseball, in St. Paul; all along the Loup Rivers Scenic Byway, Nebraska Highways 11 and 91.

• Smith Falls State Park, in Valentine; Niobrara State Park, in Niobrara; and the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center, in Crofton; all along the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, Nebraska Hwy. 12.

• The Knight Museum and Sandhills Center, in Alliance; the Nebraska National Forest & Bessey Ranger District, in Halsey; and the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, in Grand Island; all along the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, Nebraska Hwy. 2.

• Scotts Bluff National Monument, in Gering; Chimney Rock National Historic Site and Visitors Center, in Bayard; and Front Street and Cowboy Museum, in Ogallala; all along the Western Trails Scenic & Historic Byway, U.S. Hwy. 26 and Nebraska Hwy. 92.

Nebraska travel guides are available as free downloads at www.visitnebraska.gov

For more info, contact Sarah Baker Hansen at 800-228-4307 or 402-471-3797,

Bookworm

2010-04-27T09:47:00.003-06:00

Fiction

True Blue by David Baldacci: "Mace" Perry was a cop until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. After two years in prison her goal is to win back her badge. Roy is a lawyer who aided the poor and discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm. Mace and Roy team up to investigate and find surprising secrets from both the private and public world of the nation's capital.

Split Image by Robert B. Parker: The parents of Cheryl DeMarco ask Sunny Randall for help in getting Cheryl out of a religious cult, while Jesse Stone probes the gunshot murder of Petrov Ognowski. As their professional and personal relationships become intertwined, both Jesse and Sunny realize that they have much in common with both their victims and their suspects-and with each other.

Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb: Lieutenant Eve Dallas is having as much trouble figuring out how Bart Minnock was murdered as to who did the murdering. The victim's girlfriend seems grief-stricken, and his partners appear equally shocked.

Big Girl by Danielle Steel: A chubby little girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and ordinary looks, Victoria Dawson has always felt out of place in her family, especially after the birth of her perfect younger sister, Gracie.

The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark: At age eighty-two and in failing health, Olivia Morrow knows she has little time left. The last of her line, she faces a momentous choice: expose a long-held family secret, or take it with her to her grave.

The Walk by Richard Paul Evans: What would you do if you lost everything, your job, your home, and the love of your life, all at the same time? It happens to Alan Christoffersen, he has nothing left to live for. He decides to take a walk. But not any ordinary walk.

The Black Cat by Martha Grimes: Richard Jury is suspicious when he is requested on a case far out of his jurisdiction in an outlying village where a young woman has been murdered behind the local pub. The only witness is the establishment's black cat, who gives no clue as to the girl's identity or her killer's.

Nonfiction

Managing People by Phillip L. Hunsaker: Presents techniques, checklists, diagrams, and other tools for improving one's workplace interpersonal relationship skills.

Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home: Martha Stewart offers fifty-two meals, including thirteen menus for each season and photographs.

Start Quilting with Alex Anderson: Make your first quilt a success with help from internationally beloved teacher Alex Anderson. Includes instructions for 8 beautiful quilts.

Christian Christian Names by Martin H. Manser: Are you looking for a baby name with a deeper meaning? Or for a popular and resonant name that has stood the test of time? There are many options that readers will recognize and some they won't, but all of them have their meaning explained as well as the story of the Biblical character or Saint with the same name.

The DIY Bride Crafty Countdown by Khris Cochran: Full of chic and offbeat crafts for every wedding.

Great Escapes by Ian Crofton: Great Escapes brings together extraordinary stories of daring escapes from prison, prisoner-of-war camps and other places of incarceration and confinement, drawn from every period of history and from every corner of the world.

A Clutter-Free Home: This book shows you how to find hidden storage space around your home and how to put it to use efficiently. It is an up-to-date guide to modern storage products and systems that effectively combat the ages-old problem of storage.

Based on the Book

2010-04-26T13:27:00.004-06:00

A patron recently came in looking for the book Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin. The book is one of the first on autsim I have seen that has actually been written by someone with autism. We have a fairly good autism collection, and decided to purchase the book to enhance the collection. So thanks, Sherry, for the wonderful recommendation! HBO recently released a film titled Temple Grandin starring the talented and lovely Claire Danes. It aired on February 6th, and I would think it would be available soon on DVD.

Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a gifted animal scientist who has designed one-third of all the livestock-handling facilities in the United States. She also lectures widely on autism—because Temple Grandin is autistic, a woman who thinks, feels, and experiences the world in ways that are incomprehensible to the rest of us.In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectivies of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach its boundaries to function in the outside world. What emerges in Thinking in Pictures is the document of an extraordinary human being, one who, in gracefully and lucidly bridging the gulf between her condition and our own, sheds light on the riddle of our common identity.

Here is a trailer for the movie as well as a 1+ hour presentation by Temple Grandin on autism:

New Spring Books!

2010-04-23T11:44:00.003-06:00

We just put out the first of the Spring new releases!

These books are so new they haven't even hit the bookworm yet!

We recently ordered over 100 hundred books and will be adding them to the new books section throughout the next few weeks, so be sure to stop in and check out the new selection.

Authors include Ted Dekker, Lisa Scottoline, Jonathan Kellerman, Karen Robards, Heather Graham, Clive Cussler, James Patterson and many many more!

National Poetry Month

2010-04-22T11:23:00.003-06:00

As Cindy pointed out earlier this week, April is National Poetry Month. A lot of people think of Robert Frost or Shakespear when they think of poetry; however, poetry has certainly evolved over the last few decades, and the new "post modern" poetry sounds nothing like the verse of our grandparents (not that the metered verse of yesteryear doesn't have it's time and place.

So I thought I would share some links from a few more contemporary poets. Please be advised that the content on the websites I am linking to is in no way censored, just like the books we carry here in the library.

Slam Poetry is a genre of performance poetry that is delivered in a competitive setting. The performances are high energy and often include the use of props or music. These poems breathe more life off the page through the mouth of the poet than they do on the page in ink. Here are a few of my favorites:

Saul Williams is a well known and wonderfully talented slam poet. He starred in the movie Slam and has appeared on shows such as Def Jam's Poetry on HBO. Click here to visit his website, where you can hear samples of his work, watch videos and more!

Buddy Wakefield is another amazing poet whose performance leaves you breathless with goosebumps (I know from experience :-) he is amazing.) Click here for his website full of fun video and audio.

Jeffrey McDaniel is another wonderful performance poet, and his poems are just as tasty to read as they are to hear. Click here for his myspace page.

A whole world of poetry journals are availabe to any poetry afficianado, such as Ploughshares, The Columbia Poetry Review and The Prairie Schooner, which is published by UNL with some copies here at the library available for checkout (inquire at the desk.)

We also have a number of good poetry books available for checkout from contemporary poets such as Billy Collins, Alice Walker and Nebraska poet Ted Kooser who recently served as the United State Poet Laureate.

So whether you browse the above wesites or stop in and checkout a poetry book, I encourage you to get your poem on this April in honor of National Poetry Month!

Bookworm

2010-04-21T16:36:00.004-06:00

Before I post this week's bookworm, I want to say thanks to Cindy for posting while I was gone. I've been out of town on vacation (I went to an absolutely amazing Ani DiFranco concert in Omaha!) So thanks, Cindy, so much!

Without further ado, here is this week's bookworm:

Fiction

The Three Wissemans of Westport by Cathleen Schine: Sisters Miranda and Annie retreat to Westport, Connecticut, with their mother after their father files for divorce after forty-eight years of marriage, and the three find life in the small, dilapidated beach cottage brings about confusion over reason and romance.

Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos: Cornelia Brown willingly gives up her urban life to move with her husband, Teo, to the suburbs, where she struggles to form friendships with her judgmental neighbor and a kindred soul who helps Cornelia overcome the loneliness that seems to be consuming her.

Original Sin by Allison Brennan: Moira O’Donnell has spent seven years hunting down her mother, Fiona, whose command of black magic has granted her unprecedented control of the underworld. Now Moira’s global search has led her to a small California town that’s about to become hell on earth.

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts: Emma Grant's love of romance has helped her turn the wedding planning company she started with her three best friends into a success, but that same romantic streak may ruin her one chance at true love when her feelings for Jack, a longtime friend of all four girls, turn towards more than friendship.

Cutting Edge by Allison Brennan: An extremist anti-technology group is claiming responsibility for a computer system failure and a charred body is discovered in the aftermath. Duke Rogan and Nora English make a good team and work together to solve the crime while the static between them builds.

Last Snow by Eric Lustbader: An American senator, supposedly on a political trip to the Ukraine, turns up dead on the island of Capri. When the President asks him to find out how and why, Jack McClure sets out from Moscow, following a perilous trail of diplomats, criminals, and corrupt politicians.

Game Over by Fern Michaels: The Sisterhood women have finished their last assignment and are celebrating Christmas with their families who came together for the wedding of Myra and Charles. Now the time has come to secure the pardon promised by the President. But this task will be their most daunting.

Nonfiction

Working with Difficult People by Raphael Lapin: Explains how to identify the reasons behind difficult behavior, communicate effectively, and negotiate conflict through step by step instruction.

The World According to Twitter by David Pogue: Collects 2,524 posts from Twitter in which followers answered questions posed by "New York Times" columnist David Pogue.

Strength Training: Step-by-step instruction to tailor-made programs, with more than 125 exercises, includes instruction for both free and fixed weights, at home or in the gym. It offers flexible programs for both men and women of all abilities.

Barbed Wire: The Fence that Changed the West by Joanne S. Liu: Discusses the invention and mass production of barbed wire in the 1870s and describes how barbed wire transformed the American frontier.

Healthy Eating During Chemotherapy by Jose van Mil: For the first time, a chef and a medical specialist have teamed up to inspire you with over 100 delicious recipes.

Atomic Iran: Countdown to Armageddon by Mike Evans: Reveals the true intentions of the Iranian regime, describing how the terrorist nation threatens stability in the Middle East and how the United States has allowed their plans for developing atomic weapons in recent years.

Death by Stupidity by David Southwell: The 1001 most ridiculous, bizarre and astonishingly idiotic ways people have kicked the bucket.

2010-04-19T15:23:00.006-06:00

April is National Poetry Month! before your mind starts conjuring up sonnets and Shakespeare, remember Dr. Seuss and Mother Goose. There are many books of poems on display at the Alliance Public Library. Everything from the "Classics" to Baxter Black (Cowboy philosopher and Syndicated columnist). Take a look, broaden your horizons, what you discover just might surprise you.

This week, April 18 through April 24, is National Volunteer Week. Volunteerism does not necessarily have to involve an organization. It could be helping a neighbor or just around the house. Be creative and try to think of unique ways to help.....it might shock your parents! The library has many books on volunteerism. If you are stumped for ideas try checking these books out. One simple act: discovering the power of generosity by Debbie Macomber or Survival guide for coaching youth softball by Robert Benson.

There are two movies coming out, another remake of Robin Hood and Ironman II. If you find these interesting and want to learn more about theses characters, the Alliance Public Library has books and/or graffic novels on both subjects.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQChwpjrcMw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNQowwwwYa0 .

Bookworm

2010-04-13T11:13:00.005-06:00

Fiction

An Unexpected Love by Tracie Peterson: Sophie Broadmoor, known as the wildest member of her wealthy family, falls in love with widower Wesley Hedrick, and while waiting for him to propose, she finds herself in a compromising situation.

Gone to Far by Harlan Coben: Will Klein becomes caught up in a web of murder, heartbreak, and betrayal when he learns, on the day of his mother's funeral, that his older brother Ken, who disappeared eleven years earlier after being implicated in the strangling death of Will's former lover, is still alive.

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris: Louisiana cocktail waitress and mind-reader Sookie Stackhouse agrees to help the local vampire community locate a missing member on the condition that no humans are harmed, but things start to go wrong when a delicious blonde arrives on the scene.

False Convictions by Tim Green: Casey Jordan is invited by a renowned philanthropist and financier to take on a case for the Freedom Project--a charity whose mission is to win the freedom of unjustly convicted prisoners using new DNA technology--but when she arrives to take the case, the locals are less than welcoming.

A Dark Matter by Peter Straub: Donald, Jason, Hootie, and Lee, all devoted to campus guru Spencer Mallon while at college in the 1960s, are haunted by their participation in one of Mallon's secret rituals that ended in a gruesome murder, and they are forced to confront questions about the nature of evil when Lee's husband starts trying to figure out what happened that so changed the lives of the four friends.

The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer: Nick Garrity, a doctor and a vet suffering from PRSO, and Jillian Coates a psychiatric nurse, who wants to find her sister's killer, are pitted against a genius "non-kill" murderer.

Matthew's Story by Tim LaHaye: Levi was a tax collector, but was unhappy. When he heard about Jesus, he went on a quest to learn about him and became one of Jesus' apostles, renamed Matthew.

Nonfiction

Myths of the World: The book gathers some 250 of the greatest stories ever told, all organized by region into 18 cultures and prefaced with a scene-setting introduction that examines the meaning of mythology.

Three Dimensional Embroidery by Janet Edmonds: The complete design and construction process is detailed here—from the initial drawing board sketch to the finished bags, boxes, or other artwork—with all the various stitches and steps shown in stunning color photographs.

Big Book of Scroll Saw Woodworking: Collecting the most popular projects and useful scrolling techniques, this all-in-one reference is an essential bookend for all scroll saw libraries. While appropriate for all skill levels, new scrollers will benefit from a comprehensive section devoted to basic skills.

Before Lewis and Clark by Shirley Christian: Before the United States' westward expansion, French settlers dominated a wide swath of territory west of the Mississippi from New Orleans to St. Louis and beyond. The book chronicles several generations of one of the major French families occupying this frontier territory.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Demystified by Cheryl Carmin: Provides guidance for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder and their loved ones that covers diagnosis, treatment options, medications, issues for children and adolescents, related disorders, and more; and also details a self-help approach.

Equine Fitness by Jec Aristotle Ballou: A guide to getting a horse in shape and maintaining his overall fitness, regardless of age or discipline. A horse's health is a critical concern for every equestrian.

Ants in their Pants: Teaching children Who must Move to Learn by Aerial Cross: Explains the kinesthetic nature of extra busy children--kids who must move to learn, and offers advice to teachers and parents on how to create environments, schedules, and guidelines that allow these children to thrive in the classroom and at home.

It's National Library Week!

2010-04-12T11:47:00.004-06:00

This Week is National Library Week!

Author Neil Gaimen has been named the Honorary Chief of Library Week. Mr. Gaimen won the Newberry Medal for The Graveyard Book, and he has written a number of science-fiction and fantasy books, including Coraline, which was made into a popular family movie released in 2009.

Be sure to stop in the library this week and take advantage of our many free services. We have a number of new displays, such as patron and staff recommendation as well as Classics and books by Neil Gaimen in honor of National Library Week.

Dont forget to attend the Brown Bag today!

2010-04-09T08:59:00.003-06:00

Mary Schadwinkle reviews

Three Cups of Tea

by Greg Mortenson &

David Oliver Relin

Noon Today

in the Alliance Learning Center
Community Rooms
Light refreshments will be served
The Brown Bag program is made possible by The Friends of the Library and is a free event that is open to any who wish to attend.

The Library will be closing over the noon hour and will reopen after the brown bag.

Bookworm

2010-04-06T11:37:00.003-06:00

Fiction

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake: The lives of two women in a small Cape Cod town are impacted by the radio broadcasts of Frankie Bard, an American journalist in London who hopes that by revealing details of World War II she will encourage the United States to take up the cause.

Aunt Dimmity Down Under by Nancy Fullerton: Two dying, elderly sisters impose upon their friend, Lori, to find their long lost brother Aubrey before it's too late. This request takes Lori and her other friend and counselor, Aunt Dimity, to New Zealand to heal a broken family.

The Room and the Chair by Lorraine Adams: Fighter pilot Mary Goodwin suspects foul play after she is forced to eject from her malfunctioning F-16 over the Potomac River, and as she ships out to Afghanistan, an editor for the Washington "Spectator," Stanley Belson, looks into the crash, which leads to a complex series of political intrigues.

Red, Green or Murder by Steven F. Havill: Former sheriff Bill Gastner, now a livestock inspector, is enjoying a day of Herb Torrances. But Bill soon finds himself ferrying a broken cowpuncher in the back of his SUV, Headed out to meet an ambulance.

Able One by Ben Bova: What was supposed to be a test flight of the technology and crew of "Able One," an experimental aircraft armed with a high-power laser that can knock out missiles, becomes a mission when a North Korean faction launches a nuclear missile that destroys most of the world's satellites, and intelligence reveals they have two more weapons yet to be deployed.

The Midnight House by Alex Berenson: CIA agent John Wells is called to Langley to investigate the murders of a retired agent and a former Army Ranger, two men who were a part of an interrogation team at a base in Poland known as "The Midnight House," and then travels to Cairo to determine whether Islamic terrorists are targeting the interrogators.

Treason in the Ashes by William W. Johnstone: Two would-be nation states rise -- one is built on values and is lead by Ben Raines; the other would return all power to the federal government politicians who plunged the USA into destruction once before.

Nonfiction

Cool Spaces for Kids by Sam Scarborough: Providing your children with a safe, stimulating living space is an essential job for any parent. Taking you through the process, from conception to construction, it gives you all the ideas and know-how you need to create appealing areas in your home for your kids, whatever their ages.

The Only State by Don Schaufelberger: Nebraska is the only state in the nation in which every electric utility operating is publicly owned. The book tells the story of how public power in Nebraska evolved from a network of small town municipal utilities early in the twentieth century into a statewide system of electric entities.

The Everything Classical Mythology Book by Nancy Conner: The book is an introduction to Greek and Roman mythology. For those of us who cannot recount the twelve labors of Hercules, how Odysseus tricked the Trojans, why the phrase "Achilles Heel' was first coined, or how Medusa was slain, this comprehensive volume will provide answers to these and hundreds more enquiries.

Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn by Jamie Maslin: Maslin travels the country of Iran from North to South and East to West in search of the true Iran. This is the charming and astonishing account of one Westerner's life-altering rambles that illustrates the attitudes and aspirations of a nation in flux.

The New Stranded Colorwork by Mary Scott Huff: Classic Norwegian knitting techniques are reinvigorated with a modern twist in this clear and concise handbook to stranded color work.

The Complete Book of Presidents by William A. DeGregorio: The book contains information about every U.S. president to hold office. A factual look at all our chief executives, from Washington to Obama, the book chronicles their lives, their loves, their administrations, their friends, their foes, their successes, and their failures.

Career Comeback by Lisa Johnson Mandell: The author provides ten strategies for putting a youthful spin on resumes, Web pages, and personal presentation. Looking young and staying technologically current is crucial to competing in an increasingly tough job market.

Based on the Book

2010-04-05T15:04:00.005-06:00

Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon was made into the popular musical The King and I in 1956, and both titles are available in our collection for checkout. We have the movie in both VHS and DVD. Other adaptations have been made of this novel throughout the years as well.

Anna Leonowens, a proper Englishwoman, was an unlikley candidate to change the course of Siamese (Thai) history. A young widow and mother, her services were engaged in the 1860's by King Mongkut of Siam to help him communicate with foreign governments and be the tutor to his children and favored concubines. Stepping off the steamer from London, Anna found herself in an exotic land she could have only dreamed of lush landscape of mystic faiths and curious people, and king's palace bustling with royal pageantry, ancient custom, and harems. One of her pupils, the young prince Chulalongkorn, was particularly influenced by Leonowens and her Western ideals. He learned about Abraham Lincoln and the tenets of democracy from her, and years later he would become Siam's most progressive king. He guided the country's transformation from a feudal state to a modern society, abolshing slavery and making many other radical reforms.

Here is the entire animated feature The King and I, released in 1999 by Warner Brothers:

Fresh Look!

2010-04-02T10:18:00.003-07:00

We have been busy the last week giving the library a little facelift! We have been rearanging and moving some of our furniture and are very pleased with the outcome, so be sure to stop by and see our new layout. While it's nothing major (we just moved the newspapers, furniture and books around a little) it has really opened everything up.

One of the new features we have added is a staff and patron recommendations display, located to left of the circulation desk where the new non-fiction books were previously housed. So if you enjoyed a book or author, let us know and we will add them to the display.

I think a few more layout changes are in the works, so stay tuned :-)

Bookworm

2010-03-31T14:25:00.003-07:00

Fiction Books on CD

Man of Her Dreams by Tami Hoag: Maggie McSwain should have been thrilled when Rylan Quaid asked her to marry him, but he left out the word "love". She is still determined to charm him into loving her. Rylan knows that Maggie is who he could have a perfect partnership with, but can never fall in love again.

Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky: When Susan Tate finds out that her daughter, Lily, is pregnant, she is stunned. And then she finds out two of Lily's friends are also pregnant. As principal of the high school, Susan comes under fire.

The Scoop by Fern Michaels: Toots is single again after eight husbands and the paper where her daughter works is in danger of closing. Toots and three of her friends hatch a plan that promises thrills, laughter, and a hint of danger. Never underestimate a Southern lady of a certain age.

Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux: Widower and author Ford Newcombe has been living a life of solitude and needs inspiration for his writing. Jackie Maxwell is a researcher with an attitude to match Ford's intellect. They discover a connection between their lives and the past which will help them solve an old crime.

Murder at the Washington Tribune by Margaret Truman: Crime reporter Joe Wilcox investigates the murders of two female media professionals, and risks his career, marriage, and even his own daughter's life by baiting a trap for the serial killer.

The Secret Hour by Luanne Rice: Attorney John O'Rourke, his household in turmoil since the death of his wife, and his family the target of resentment over his defense of the Breakwater Killer, finds his life further complicated by the arrival of Kate Harris, a woman trying to discover whether her missing sister is one of the killer's victims.

Sizzle by Julie Garwood: Film student Lyra Prescott witnesses a crime while filming her school project and is pulled into a web of intrigue with only FBI agent Sam Kincaid to help her survive, but their passion for one another may threaten both their lives.

Cat's Paw, Inc. by L.L. Thrasher: Zack Smith is tracking down a fourteen-year-old runaway, Jessica, and her trail leads to the streets of Portland, pimps, drug dealers and pornographers offering security for their innocence.

The Grief Shop by Vicki Stiefel: Tally White is with the Grief Assistance Program and has seen a lot of dead bodies. But this is the first time a murder victim has been brought there by the murderer himself, with a massage that reads: Sins of the Fathers. The girl’s playmate is also missing and Tally hopes to save her before the killer strikes again.

Young Adult Books on CD

Guys are Waffles, Girls are Spaghetti by Chad Eastham: Investigates the scientific reasons why guys and girls think and act differently, and offers advice on how to communicate with the opposite sex.

Young Adult Fiction

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad: When Jane Roberts is cast in a new reality show; she discovers that the fame and fortune of her new life come at a high price to herself and her friendships.

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Erin Colfer: Artemis's fairy friends help him travel back in time to find a cure for his mother's rare disease which can only be cured by the brain fluid of now-extinct African lemurs, and is shocked to discover that it was actually his younger self who was responsible for bringing about the animal's extinction.

At a Crossroads by Kate T. Williamson: Watercolor illustrations aid in describing the twenty-three months that Kate T. Williamson spent living with her parents in Pennsylvania after she graduated from Harvard and spent a year in Japan.