It's National Library Week!

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!

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

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

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!

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

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.

New Brown Bag Date

The April Brown Bag has been rescheduled!

It will be held on Friday, April 9th instead of

Friday, April 2nd in observance of Good Friday.

Mary Schadwinkle reviews
Three Cups of Tea
by Greg Mortenson &

David Oliver Relin

12:00 noon on Friday, April 9th

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.

Based on the Book

I've been meaning to post about The Blind Side, as we added the books to our collection a few months ago. Sandra Bullock won an academy award for her performance, and I have heard the book is very good.
The Blind Side, perhaps the best book written about a college football player since Willie Morris's The Courting of Marcus Dupree (1983), grabs hold of you in several ways. On one hand, you'll be appalled by the tactics used to advance academically unqualified high school and college football players. At the same time, you'll be furiously turning the pages, rooting for Michael Oher to succeed. And the story isn't over: If Oher makes it into the NFL in three years, Lewis should have a dandy follow-up.

Here are a few interviews with the author of the book and the actors, as well as Sandra Bullock's elegant Oscar acceptance speech:

Antique and Collectible Online Resources

Antique and Collectible research is a common reference subject, so I thought I would share some of the NebraskAccess web links today. NebraskAccess is such a wonderful tool, and all of the links provided have been recommended by Librarians.

Antique and the Arts online (a leading print source of antiques and collectibles online site)

Coin Price Guide

Guide to online Appraisal Services

Button Information Index

Curioscape

Kovels

These are just a sampling of all the Antique and Collectible online sources that can be found here on NebraskAccess, so if your ever in need of some quick online info, NebraskAccess is a wonderful one-stop-shop.

April Brown Bag

Mary Schadwinkle reviews

Three Cups of Tea

by Greg Mortenson &

David Oliver Relin

12:00 noon on Friday, April 2nd

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.

Bookworm

Fiction
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah: Sisters Meredith and Nina, having been estranged from one another and their parents, reunite after their father falls ill, and, by carrying out their dad's dying wish of hearing the true story of their mother's life in war-torn Leningrad, the women find their relationships mending and begin to have a deeper understanding and respect for their mom.

Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins: Three twenty-something women and one hot rich guy, who were high school classmates, come back together when Annabelle's beautiful mother is found shot to death in her Beverly Hills mansion.

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd: Adam Kindred's life changes abruptly when he travels to London for a job interview and becomes a suspect in the murder of Dr. Philip Wang, the director of a medical trial seeking a cure for childhood asthma.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb: The Traders wish to protect their dragon defender, Tintaglia, and increase the number of dragons by taking them to The Rain Wild River for protection. Thymara, a forest girl and Alise, a Trader's, are part of the group of people who care for the dragons. As the dragons and caretakers journey to the River, they are taught lessons of hardships, betrayals and joys.

Blood Ties by Kay Hooper: The FBI's Special Crimes Unit, a top secret group of agents led by Noah Bishop, travel to the small town, in pursuit of a serial killer who plans to destroy the group from the inside.

An Uncertain Dream by Judith Miller: Olivia Mott becomes torn between her loyalty to Pullman Car Works and her love for Fred DeVault, who is the union's delegate, and when Lady Charlotte Spencer returns to Chicago with her son, reporter Matthew Clayborn shows interest, causing Charlotte to wonder about his motivations.

In the Company of Secrets by Judith Miller: Olivia Mott didn't intend to lie and her position as assistant chef at Pullman's elegant Hotel Florence is dependent on keeping her secrets. Samuel Howard, Olivia's friend and the town manager, seems to think everything is fine. Should Olivia tell what she knows?

Nonfiction

Hidden America: The book shows beautiful photography as well as evocative text. America is filled with tantalizing riddles both natural and unnatural, in this illustrated tour of our country.

Unforgettable Places: A tour of eighty favorite destinations, including cultural and historical background, travel advice, and suggested activities for all sites.

The House of Dance and Feathers by Ronald L. Lewis: In the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Ronald W. Lewis has assembled a museum to the various worlds he inhabits. Built in 2003, the House of Dance & Feathers represents many New Orleans societies.

Cover Letter Magic by Wendy S. Enelow: Professional resume and cover letter writers reveal their inside secrets for creating phenomenal cover letters that get attention and land interviews, which features more than 130 sample cover letters written for all types of job seekers.

Warman's US Stamps Field Guide by Maurice D. Wozniak: Whether the collection is focused on images of presidents or any of the other images, U.S. stamps offer a unique glimpse at history. This pocket-sized guide pays tribute to these various categories of popular postage which offers collectors details and pricing in 4,200 listings.

Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel by Phil Villarreal: This is the book for everyone who loves rule-bending and money-saving madness. In this economy, it’s every man for himself and this book can help.

Helping Your Child Read by Dee Reid: Learn to develop your child's reading skills and foster a love of books from birth to the end of their primary school years. This is full of practical advice that will help your child become a fluent and proficient reader.

Based on the Book

The movie The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks has already came and gone in our theatre, but the book is in our collection and ready to be checked out.

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

Have You Done Your Taxes Yet?

We have a number of forms available for all of your tax needs, and those we don't have on hand, we will gladly print off for you. If you don't have a home computer, we have the public computers available for e-filing. Since the tax deadline is less than a month away, I thought I would share some tax related links from the Nebraska Library Commission Reference Delicious page

The Way We Tax (a report on www.governing.com explaining the taxation process)

Taxes on NebraskAccess

Tax forms from other states

Research and Statistical reports from the Nebraska Dept. of Revenue

Nebraska Department of Revenue

Internal Revenue Service

FAQs about Nebraska Business Tax

Federal, State and Local Government Tax Collection

Twitterlit

I haven't posted a Twitterlit feature for a while now, but today's feature is available in our Teen Section and I thought I would share. For those of you not familiar with Twitterlit, it is a twitter page that posts the first lines from books twice a day. It doesn't give the title, only the first line, and then the reader is able to click on a link to amazon where the title of the book is revealed. The page is really quite charming and is a great way to find new reads based on their opening sentences.

For almost seven years, I lived a double life.

The above line opens the book Next to Nothing: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with an Eating Disorder and is available for checkout at call number YA 616.92 ARN as part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative Series.

Bookworm

Fiction
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes: A spirit brings an expectancy of change to the residents of a town house, including PR representative Katie, who has just dumped her boyfriend; Lydia, a cab driver trying to figure out what to do about her mother's dementia; a psychic invaded by her foster son; and a newlywed couple.

Worse Case by James Patterson: Rich kids are being snatched off the street and parents can't save them because this kidnapper isn't demanding money. Instead, he quizzes his prisoner on the price they will pay for his life of luxury. Wrong answers are fatal. Detective Michael Bennett leads the investigation.

Poison to Purge Melancholy by Elena Santangelo: Pat Montella is spending Christmas with her boyfriend Hugh and enjoying a Christmas dinner. But, one of the guests becomes gravely ill. Was it food poisoning? Then a ghostly kiss under the mistletoe is Pat's first clue that the old house might be haunted.

The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell: King Alfred is ill and his heir is an untested youth. The Vikings see this as a chance to conquer Wessex. But Uhtred, Alfred's warlord, outwits and defeats them. Tragedy falls upon Uhtred and he joins the Vikings. When the Danes and the Vikings plot to conquer Britain, Alfred's daughter pleads with Uhtred to help and he can't resist.

The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark: Lucy Ellis is toiling away on an assembly line while dreaming of being a fashion designer. She is about to move, she meets Wyatt Hayes IV. Wyatt is turning Lucy into this year's "it" girl. Later they are at a gala, where they confront society and their feelings for each other.

Burn by Ted Dekker: Janeal Mikkado agrees to help Salazar Sanso recover a vast sum of money from her father in exchange for freedom from her father's Gypsy culture, but when the plan takes a violent turn and Sanso burns the camp to the ground, Janeal is forced to make a decision that will haunt her forever.

Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich: Irene America, having discovered that her husband Gil is reading her diary, begins making things up for him to find, placing their marriage on shaky ground. Gil begins the defining work of his career, and their children suffer the consequences of their parents' failed relationship.

Nonfiction
This Book is Overdue! By Marilyn Johnson: Showcases the work of librarians in a variety of fields to examine how, in the early twenty-first century, they still serve as educators, archivists, and curators despite the abundance of digital information available to the general population.

I'm the Greatest Star by Robert Viagas: Here is a survey of Broadway musical theatre stars, telling the life stories of 40 stage stars from Al Jolson, Fanny Brice, and Gwen Verdon, to Nathan Lane, Patti Lupone, and Audra McDonald. The author describes each star's most important stage roles as well as the triumphant, tragic, inspiring, and cautionary tales of how they achieved and maintained their status as top Broadway stars.

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan: Follows the three major food chains that feed humans: industrial, organic, and hunter-gatherer; from the earth to four meals, exploring the ethical and political effects of one's food choices.

Food Rules by Michael Pollan: A guide to health and food that contains rules for eating well, with insights from various ethnic and cultural traditions.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey: Radio host Dave Ramsey explains how to get out of debt and develop a fiscally sensible lifestyle, discussing mortgages, car loans and leases, student loans, life insurance, emergencies, and other related topics and providing charts and work sheets, numerous case studies, and Bible-based guidance.

The New Secret of Style: Learn how to create new looks with the clothes you already own, shop like a professional, play up your figure assets and avoid making mistakes in the dressing room.

The Will and Living Will Toolkit by Daniel Sitarz: This book provides a source of understandable information and forms for preparing estate planning legal forms. The forms and instructions provide a wealth of hands-on tools for preparing customized versions of these important legal forms.

Alliance Public Library serving Alliance since 1909.

Based on the Book

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid releases in theatres this Friday. It is based on the illustrated novel of the same name by Jeff Kinney and is the first in a series. We have the first three books available for checkout at call number YA KIN. They are charming books and are a great pick for relectant readers.
It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary. In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

A web version also is available by clicking here and www.wimpykid.com has author interviews, links to related video and audio, and a touch cheese game. You can even turn yourself into a Wimpy Kid character at www.wimpyourself.com. You can see me wimped out by clicking here.

And here is the trailer:

Nebraska Tourism on Twitter

While taking a twitter "webinar" from the Nebraska Library Commission, I was introduced to the Nebraska Tourism Twitter page, and since vacation season is quickly approaching, I thought I would share the link with you.

They have a number of posts concerning activies happening statewide as well as other found tidbits. For those of you curious about Twitter, I urge you to jump over to their page and take a look. Since Twitter is a microblogging tool and posts are limited to 140 characters, links are aturomatically shortened to fir within the post. Explore their page and links and you just may find your next weekend getaway right here in the state!

Bookworm

Large Print Fiction

The Apache Kid by Will Henry: His father called him Red Wolf and his friends called him Nino. His many enemies had other names for him. He was the finest tracker for the enlisted Apache Trackers, and now he was the most feared and hunted fugitive.

Bad Company by William A. Luckey: Blue Mitchell was hired to protect a man and thought it would be easy. He was caught in the middle of a battle for land and cattle where tempers ran hot. He found courage he never knew he had.

Master of the Mesa by William Colt McDonald: Hawk Nielson was ruthless and powerful and when he had a son his pride almost matched his greed. Vard Whitlock had more reason than most to hate Hawk Vard kidnapped the baby and hit the trail. Twenty-five years later the showdown was the most violent fight the Mesa had ever seen.

The Lobo Breed by Chuck Martin: Jeff Dawson's father, know as the Lobo, had been falsely accused of stealing and dry-gulched before he could prove his innocence. Now Jeff bore the brand of the Lobo breed and only two people believed in him.

Creede Old Montana by Stephen Bly: Avery Hohn Creede, an ex-cavalry soldier, searches for four Army pals who didn't show up for a reunion. In Fort Benton, he stops a bank robbery and suddenly finds himself in the middle of one conflict after another.

Longhorn Trail by Lauran Paine: Rancher Jack Cole saves the life of a woman who calls herself Julie Krohn. The very next day he is arrested for the murder of Julie Krohn! Jess Howard is an experienced trail boss with a herd on the way to Kansas. He hires a veteran crew as well as two strangers.

The Scorpion Killers by Ray Hogan: The Mexican General, Jamarillo was assassinated and the four Mexicans believed to have done the deed were led by an American known only as Amigo. Shawn Starbuck has reason to believe it might be his missing brother Ben and is lead from the Mexican border to Dodge City with more than one man dead before the mystery man "Amigo" is revealed.

Ranger Man by William Colt McDonald: Johnny's friend Matt was shot just as Johnny rode into Rawhide City and the satchel of gold he was carrying is missing. The sheriff took Johnny's guns and ordered him out of town. But Johnny is a persistent ranger and is determined to unravel the web of mysteries.

Painted Rock by Alan LeMay: Western Stories Whack-ear's pup -- Strange fellows -- Gunnies from Gehenna -- Hard-boiled -- Next door to hell -- Feud fight -- Thanks to a girl in love -- Man with a future -- Old thunder pumper -- The nester's girl -- Fight at Painted Rock.

Same Time Next Year by Debbie Macomber: James Wilkins is a jilted man, with that broken engagement finally behind him; he spends New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, where he meets Summer Lawton. Summer has just been betrayed and James promised her that in a year she'll be over it. They make a date to meet in Vegas at the same time, next year.

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler: Jane Mansfield leaves 1813 England and awakens in the body and life of a twenty-first-century woman, Courtney Stone. Jane wished to escape her life in England, but the new world is shocking. And the only thing she finds she has in common with Courtney is a love of Jane Austen.

Elvis and the Greatful Dead by Peggy Webb: The Valentine family runs the only funeral parlor in town which caters the wakes, sell the headstones and style the hair of the departed. There is a murderer on the loose and he is killing Elvis impersonators. Callie and Lovie are racing to solve the case and save the annual Elvis Festival.

Unleashed by Laurien Berenson: Melanie Travis wants to plan her wedding to Sam, when Sam’s ex-wife, Sheila sends her a dinner invitation and announces that her temporary stay in town is permanent because she's accepted a job as co-publisher of Woof! -- A dog show gossip magazine. But Sheila is found strangled with a dog leash.

Double Take by Catherine Coulter: After reopening the case of a psychic who was brutally murdered, Special Agent Cheney Stone enlists the help of FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, who are also working on tracking down a woman who looks just like Sheriff Dixon Noble's wife who disappeared three years earlier.

Alliance Public Library serving Alliance since 1909.

Patron Recommendation

Don Henderson gave the book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heros of Seal Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson a raving review. It is available for checkout in our New Classified section.

This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing, fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. His teammates fought valiantly beside him until he was the only one left alive, blasted by an RPG into a place where his pursuers could not find him. Over the next four days, terribly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell crawled for miles through the mountains and was taken in by sympathetic villagers who risked their lives to keep him safe from surrounding Taliban warriors.

Based on the Book

Since we are short staffed I will be posting on the blog as time allows, so bear with me for another few months and I should be back to running a regular schedule.

Today I thought I would post on the up and coming 3-D animation movie How to Train Your Dragon, which is based on a book of the same name by author Cressida Cowell, available in our collection at call number JF COW.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as "the Dragon Whisperer" ... but it wasn't always so. Travel back to the days when the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventure as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and becomes a hero!

Here is the trailer:

Brown Bag Tomorrow!

Pete Taylor reviews

Laughter: The Best Medicine

by Reader's Digest

12:00 noon 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.

Bookworm

Fiction

The Heaven Stone Secrets by V.C. Andrews: After a tragedy claims the life of Semantha's mother, she is left under the watchful eye of her older sister Cassie, but when Cassie begins wearing their mother's clothing and competing for their father's affections, Semantha decides Cassie is taking things too far.

Impact by Douglas Preston: CIA agent Wyman Ford is sent to locate the source of some radioactive gemstones--a mission that has links to a woman's search for a meteorite she saw streak through the sky, and the murder of a researcher who discovered gamma rays originating from Mars.

Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton: Scottish Highland's bachelor, Hamish, is about to be married at last. Everyone adores Josie, but Hamish has the jitters. They met because of a mysterious Valentine's Day package delivered before the woman's death. As they work on the case they discover she had many admirers.

The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton: Mike was traumatized at the age of eight. Now he is eighteen and hasn't spoken for ten years. He has discovered his talent -- being able to unlock anything -- which makes him a hot commodity for the wrong people. He is close to a life of crime, but sees his chance to escape and go back home to unlock the secret that has kept him silent for so long.

The Wolf at the Door by Jack Higgins: Someone is targeting the members of the elite intelligence unit known as "the Prime Minister's private army" and he has a lot of resources at his command. Sean Dillion might know who it is, but it will be difficult to prove it and survive it.

Kisser by Stuart Woods: Stone Barrington is back working for a law firm who wants the cases kept quiet. But, he gets into the show business a little deeper than he planned and gets lead into the worlds of financial fraud, big Art, and Manhattan's Upper East Side. Beauty and wealth may come at an unusually high price.

Alter of Eden by James Rollins: Years after armed men loot the city zoo, Lorna Polk, a state veterinarian, discovers deformed animals with a heightened intelligence in the cargo of a shipwrecked fishing trawler and must track down the one that got free, but she will need help from, U.S. Border Patrol agent Jack Menard.

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh: After Reginald Mason's father forces him into an engagement with Lady Annabelle Ashton in order to protect his social status, both Reginald and Lady Annabelle is resentful of the situation, while their fathers take pleasure in the couple's discord.


Nonfiction

Nuggets of Neutrinos: The Homestake Story by Steven T, Mitchell: Details the history of the gold mine in the Black Hills of South Dakota, from the discovery of gold, the location of the Homestake Mine, its development and now that it is closed, the conversion to a science and engineering laboratory.

Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert: A memoir in which the author discusses why the marriage to her partner, Felipe; was the only way to keep from being detained at the American border. Various aspects of marriage, including compatibility, fidelity, social expectations, the risk of divorce, and responsibility are included.

The Rise and Fall of Senator Joe McCarthy by James Cross Giblin: Presents a discussion of Senator Joe McCarthy's anti-Communist crusade in the U.S. during the height of the Cold War, covering the strengths and weaknesses of the political figure within the context of world affairs and both military and political struggles.

The Family by Jeff Sharlet: Traces the history of America's most powerful fundamentalist group, describing how they have influenced politicians, generals, and foreign dictators since their creation in 1935, and how they impacted American democracy.

Turkey Hunting by Bob Humphrey: Discover how to build a successful season from the ground up by refining your techniques and learning creative new ways of calling, using decoys, and bagging the maximum.

Steve McQueen King of Cool by Darwin Porter: Examines the life of actor Steve McQueen, discussing his childhood, different jobs, time in the U.S. Marines, and Hollywood fame, and presenting reportedly true stories of his many sexual exploits.

Based on the Book

Well, I'm sure that you know by now that Alice in Wonderland will be in theatres very soon. Everywhere I look there is a buzz about the film. I have to say that personally I am very excited, and not just because I adore both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, but because I truly love the books. I actually am re-reading them (for the third time) on my handy little I-Pod before I go see the movie. They are the first books I have read digitally, and it is kind of fun - I like turning the "digital page" :-) The illustrations are much better to look at in a print book, and if this is your first time reading the stories, that is what I would suggest. We have both Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass available for checkout in a number of formats.

Click here for a free ebook download of Alice in Wonderland.
ITunes also has a classic literature ap for only $.99 that includes both the Alice books as well as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Frankenstein, The Jungle and more. It can be found by searching "books" in the ap store.

And here is the trailer for what looks to be an amazing 3-D experience. I am anxious to see how he adapted the two books into one movie.

Staff Recommendations

Over the next few day, I will be posting some staff reading recommendations. I also plan on having another trivia contest throughout the month of March, so be on the lookout for that as well.

Here are a few books I have recently read that I would highly recommend:


Chuck Palahniuk is one of my favorite contemporary authors. His writing is style is uniquely his own and I have never read one of his books that I didn't enjoy. Characters include a jaded journalist, a hippie new age psychic witch and her consumer terrorist boyfriend, and a real estate agent who makes her money selling and reselling known haunted houses. The quirky group are on the hunt to remove all known copies of an African Culling song that has the power to kill any person it is read to from bookstores and libraries throughout the country, and each character is joining in the search for their own reasons. It is a very engaging and darkly humorous novel. Available for checkout at FIC PAL

The classic novel The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter is a short yet engrossing novel about a young white who was kidnapped and raised by Indians during the colonial times. He is forced by white settlers to rejoin white society, yet his cultural identity and his heart remains true to his Native upbringing. The boy, whose Native name is True Son, fights to rejoin his Native family. The story is heartbreaking and beautiful. Available for checkout at YA RIC as a book and AB FIC RIC as a book on cassette.

Check back tomorrow for more staff recommendations!

The Bookworm

Fiction
Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky: The pregnancy pact between three teenaged girls puts their mothers' love to a test. Susan Tate is stunned because she has tried to do everything right. When more pregnancies are announced, her job as high school principal, her financial independence and her dreams are all at risk.

Doors Open by Ian Rankin: Three friends descend upon an art auction. In a conversation over drinks, they hit on a plan to steal the art. Suddenly, they are tossed together with forgers, crime bosses and more. The story is about second chances and double crosses.

Hastur Lord by Marion Zimmer: Regis Hastur is confronted with the destiny he has never wanted as his grandfather lies on his deathbed, but after the Terran Empire assassinates members of Darkover's council and Regis' grandfather confesses that Regis has an older half-brother, Regis must decide whether to accept his destiny to become the Regent of Darkover or to follow his dreams.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier: Fossil hunter Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot form a friendship based on their interest in science and Elizabeth's confidence which allows her to protect Mary and other individuals who believe her work is unacceptable because she is a female and it questions religious beliefs.

Catalyst by Anne McCaffrey: Chessie, a pregnant Barque Cat, is kidnapped and her Cat Person Janina and Dr. Jared Vlest attempt to free her before an alien feline Pshaw-Ra with psionic power takes her to his planet so they can begin the universal domination of the unknown
universe.

Among Thieves by David Hosp: $300 million worth of paintings were stolen from a museum in what remains one of the greatest unsolved art thefts. Now, years later, the case threatens to break wide open. But when Scott Finn learns that one of his clients, Devon Malley, was part of the heist, he's drawn into the crossfire.

The Domino Pattern by Timothy Zahn: Frank Compton works with his assistant, Bayta, to put an end to the Modhri's psychological influence and dominance throughout the galaxy, but when the investigation reveals a connection between the Modhri and the Filiaelians, Compton and Bayta must face an even greater threat.

Nonfiction
Johnny Cash: The Autobiography by Patrick Carr: Autobiography reflecting on the country musician's childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm, the early years at Sun Records, singing at the Grand Ole Opry, life on the road, years of addiction to amphetamines and pain pills, and his deep devotion to his wife, June, and their family.

No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of Hells Angels by Jay Dobyns: FBI agent Jay Dobyns relates his experiences working undercover to infiltrate the Hells Angel Motorcycle Club, discussing his actions and how the job nearly cost him his family and his life.

Blue Blood by Edward Conlan: Edward Conlon, a fourth-generation officer with the New York City Police Department, chronicles his experiences on the force from his first days on patrol to his rise to the rank of detective, and shares stories from his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father's time with the NYPD.

Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest American's Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill) by David C. Johnston: The book reveals how industry and commerce repeatedly shift risks and costs to the taxpayer, government attempts to manipulate or adjust the market, and how the wealthiest Americans continue to get richer at government expense.

Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life: Get Rich, Stay Rich (Make Your Kids Even Richer) by James J. Cramer: Jim Cramer offers advice on investing, explaining how to build wealth by avoiding common pitfalls, making smart money decisions, invest in bull markets, identify winning funds, and understand the dangers and promise of investing.

Bottom Line's Healthy Heart by Michael Mogadam, M.D.: Discusses coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity exercise, HDL-Cholesterol and other risk factors. The author discusses myths and debunks them. He includes information on diets, and explains the different cardiac health tests.

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis: Details the life of University of Mississippi football player Michael Oher, who was raised by a crack addicted mother and adopted at the age of sixteen by a wealthy family, and explores the rising importance and salary of the offensive left tackle in the game of football.

Based on the Book

I believe the Lightning Thief has already come and gone; however, we now have the books available once again for checkout. So if you have seen the movie or like fantasy and myth, come and in and give it a go. The series has been pretty popular.

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school . . . again. No matter how hard he tries, he can't seem to stay out of trouble. But can he really be expected to stand by and watch while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself against his pre-algebra teacher when she turns into a monster and tries to kill him? Of course, no one believes Percy about the monster incident; he's not even sure he believes himself.Until the Minotaur chases him to summer camp.Suddenly, mythical creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. The gods of Mount Olympus, he's coming to realize, are very much alive in the twenty-first century. And worse, he's angered a few of them: Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

New VHS and DVDs

We have some new VHS and DVDs that were added to our collection recently. Our videos are entirely free to check out and can be kept for a week. They are an economical way to rent out movies, which makes them some of the most checked out material in the library. Videos are acquired mostly through donation, though we do purchase documentaries and educational videos to add to our collection are well. So if you have any videos collecting dust around the house you would like to get rid of, we would gladly take them as a donation.

Here are just a few of the new additions to our collection:

DVD

Meet the PArent

Austin Powers

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Hoot

Blazing Saddles

VHS

The Nutty Professor
The Emperor's New Groove

A Bug's Life

The Rescuers Down Under

Bookworm

Fiction
Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card: Averell Torrent has maneuvered himself into the presidency of the United States in the aftermath of the civil war which in truth, he engineered. Now he is in a position to expand American imperial power around the world. First he must silence all who know he killed the previous president.

Daniel's Den by Brandt Dodson: Daniel Borden is a government accountant who lives a quiet life and plays by the rules. But when events transpire that shatter his orderly world and a team of assassins mark him for death, Daniel must flee for his life.

The Latest Mrs. Furst by Susan Martins Miller: Mitchell Furst is everything Jayne ever dreamed of even though there's something a little unsettling about him at times. Her dream quickly becomes a nightmare with eerie visions at night as devastating truths begin to surface. .

Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler: Liam is a philosopher that ended up teaching fifth grade and his forced early retirement isn't bothering him. But, he can't remember the first night he moved into his new residence and ended up in the hospital.

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter: When four 1960s radicals are gunned down, Vietnam veteran Carl Hitchcock becomes the prime suspect, but FBI Special Agent Nick Memphis thinks the case is a little too perfect and calls on retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger for help in tracking down the real killer.

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris: Tim Farnsworth is a lawyer and loves his wife, children, home and work. Then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking. A life can be taken for granted and suddenly taken away.

The First Rule by Robert Crais: Frank Meyer, a former military contractor and mercenary who used to work with Joe Pike, loses his family when a professional crew raids his home, but when the police suspect Meyer to have been hiding something, Elvis Cole helps Pike search beyond grudges, blackmail, and double crosses in an effort to clear Meyer's name.

Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker: Charlie Hood works with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to track down gunrunners who are supplying weapons to gangs in Mexico, and finds a personal connection to the events taking place south of the border.

A Whisper to the Living by Stuart M. Kaminsky: Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, a policeman in post-Soviet Union, and his team search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city, but their investigation is threatened by the arrival of a British journalist whose story on a Moscow prostitution ring uncovers a chain of murders and a shocking cover up.

Treasure Hunt by John Lescroart: Mickey Dade investigates the death of activists, Dominic Como, with his boss, Wyatt Hunt, but when they try to confirm their suspicions that Como was involved in suspicious dealings, Dade and Hunt struggle get answers from Alicia Thorpe, Como's business associate and the sister of one of Dade's friends.

The Hidden Flame by Davis Bunn: After losing her family, Abigail seeks a new home and safety in Jerusalem, where two men vie for her hand in marriage--a successful Hebrew merchant and a Roman soldier--but she does not love either man.

The Red Door by Charles Todd: While Ian Rutledge searches for a missing man, Walter Teller, he is attacked by a young man who goes on a murderous spree with victims all resembling Rutledge, but after Teller mysteriously reappears, another woman is found dead and the Teller family is implicated in her death.

Days of Gold by Jude Deveraux: Laird Angus McTern falls in love with Edilean Talbot, who rejects Angus's advances and humiliates him in front of his clan, but when Edilean asks for Angus to help her reclaim her father's gold, Angus must put aside his wounded pride and accompany her to America, where they are drawn together as they face unexpected obstacles and danger.

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

Alliance Public Library serving Alliance since 1909.

Happy Birthday(s)!

It seems that there are a number of Birthdays to celebrate today!

Abraham Lincoln (February 12th 1809 - April 15, 1865)
Books available in our collection:
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln Volumes 1-7 (308.1 LIN)
Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (364.152 SWA)
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (973.7092 GOO)
Uncle Tom's Cabin (813 STO)
Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography (B LIN)
and many more!
Click here for a biography, quiz, photo gallery and more!

Charles Darwin (February 12, 1809 - April 19, 1889)

Books in our collection:

Charles Darwin: On the Trail of Evolution (JUV 575.092 TWI)

Discoveries that Changed Science (JUV 500 MAR)

Evolution: The triumph of an Idea (576.8 ZIM)

Here is a David Attenborrough BBC Special on the legacy of Charles Darwin:

Judy Blume (February 12, 1938)

Books in our collection:

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (JF BLU)

Fudge-a-Mania (JPB BLU)

Forever (YA BLU)

Smart Women (FIC BLU)

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (JPB BLU)

Summer sisters (FIC BLU)

And Many More!

Judy Blume has made a lasting contribution to the world of literature and we wish her a very Happy Birthday!

To learn more about this award winning author, find a complete list of books, read interviews and more, visit her website at http://www.judyblume.com/

Paige Recommendation

Sean is currently reading The 13&1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear: being the demibiography of a seagoing bear with numerous illustrations and excerpts from the Encyclopaedia of the marvels, life forms and other phenomena of Zamonia and its environs by Professor Abdullah Nightingale by Walter Moers, and he would like to recommend the book to you, our patrons. Of the book he says "I like it because I like the writing style. It's like a cartoon, only a cartoon made with words."

I have also read a portion of the book and it is quite humorous as well as insightful. It is the story of the 13 & 1/2 lives of a blue bear whose very first memories are of floating in the ocean in a walnut shell and being rescued by a boat of Mini Pirates, whom are a mere six inches tall. Inevitably, Bluebear outgrows the ship, at which point he embarks on his remaining 12&1/2 lives, during which he encounters a number of colorful characters. It reminds me a little of the Douglas Adams' cult classic Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. The book can currently be found on the new cart under FIC MOE and is recommended for anyone looking to try something new.

Library Lover's Month

February is is National Library Lover's Month!

To celebrate we will be offering amnesty on all overdue books returned in February! We will delete any fines on overdue books returned this month.

Bookworm

Based on the Book

I finally have a Based on the Book feature for you. The movie Shutter Island will be releasing soon, and we have the book written by Dennis LeHane (FIC LEH) available for checkout. From the looks of the trailer it promises to be quite a creepy thriller! It also looks like his movie has been adapted into a graphic novel as well (see the below playlist for an interview with Dennis
LaHane concerning his novels and their adaptations.)

The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple-murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades—with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems.

Here are a few videos concerning the movie and Dennis LaHane:

February Storytime Schedule

Valentines Day! Tuesday, February 9th at 6:30pm

& Thursday, February 11th at 10:00am


A Special Evening with Mrs. Trussell's 4th Grade Class
Tuesday, February 16th at 6:30pm



Children's Dental Health Month
Thursday, February 18 at 10:00am


Buffalo Bill Cody
Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30pm
Thursday, February 25 at 10:00am


Storytime is for all children ages 3-6 years. Programs are theme related and include reading to children, craft time and social interaction. Please register your child at the front desk prior to his or her attending Storytime.

Themed Backpacks Now Available

Stephanie has put together a wonderful new checkout item - a themed Winnie-the-Pooh backpack. The checkout includes five Winnie-the-Pooh books, three movies, coloring pages, a craft and a Winnie-the-Pooh cookbook. The checkout time is one week without renewal. You can find the item at the circulation desk for now, though it will eventually be found in the children's section. Stephanie is also working on putting together a few more bags so be on the look out for those in the future :-)

February Brown Bag

Judy Taylor reviews
Robert Mitchum: Baby I Don't Care by Lee Server
Friday, February 5th
12:00 noon in the Alliance Public Library Community Rooms




The Free Brown Bag program and light refreshments are provided courtesy of The Friends of the Library and RSVP

We're Back on Track!

Our Wi-Fi and Computer Lab are up and running!

After a month of no wireless connection and a few months of problems in our public computer lab, we are back online. So if you have been needing to use the lab or wireless, come on in!

This also means I will be back to posting on a daily basis, so check back in with me frequently.

New Horizons Concert on Tuesday, February 2nd

The Alliance Public Library Foundation cordially invites you to join us in welcoming

New Horizons Clarinet Ensemble

A United States Air Force

Heartland of America Band

on February 2nd at 7:00pm

in the Alliance Public Library

The free program will last about an hour and refreshments will be served. Donations for the Gates Foundation Matching Grant Fund are welcome. This fund will be used to purchase new computers for our public access computer lab. The computer lab provides equal access to basic technology such as email, internet access and word processing for the surprisingly large percentage of people without home computers. Donating to our Matching Grant Fund will help us provide more computers to meet a growing demand. Checks can be made payable to The Alliance Public Library Foundation.

Click here to learn more about the New Horizins Clarinet Ensemble.

Twilight Trivia Contest!

Participate in our Teen Twilight Trivia Contest!

Come into the Alliance Public Library beginning Friday, January 15th through February 11th and fill out one of our trivia question forms. For every question you get right, you will be entered into our contest to win one of several Valentine gifts for you or your "significant other".

The rules are simple:
You may enter once for every question given (there are a total of 20 question.)
A new question will be introduced daily, but you can answer all that are availabe at one time. You have to come to the Alliance Public Library to enter your answers. The questions will be posted on both our facebook page and the library display.

Some of the prizes will include Pizza Hut pizzas, boxes of Valentine candy, and iTunes card!

So, if you think you are a Twilight Saga Guru, come in and show us what you've got! Be careful - you may end up being "bitten" by the love bug!

Technical Difficulties

I just want to let everyone know that I haven't forgotten about the blog. I do plan on posting on a regular basis; however, we have been experienceing technical difficulties that make it difficult for me to post. Our wireless has been turned off for the time being and the lab computers have not been running properly, but once the problem has been fixed I will be back with a regular posting schedule.

Thanks - and keep checking back in!

Based on the Book

Hopefully you all had a Happy New Year. I am ready to get back to a regular posting schedule, so I will start off with Based on the Book. Sherlock Holmes is currently playing at the Alliance Theatre, which is, as most of you know, based on the famous literary character. We have a number of Sherlock Holmes books available for checkout, so stop by and take a look at the display.