Since spring is here . . . Playaway!

That's right, today marks the official beginning of Spring, and we have the perfect little device that enables you to take the pleasure of books outside. Say, for example, if you are taking a nice spring stroll and would like to enjoy a story, you can simply listen to a little self-contained audio book called a Playaway instead of trying to read and walk at the same time, consequently causing you to trip over an abnormally large bump in the sidewak because you weren't watching where you were walking, so you sprain your ankle and look like an idiot in front of a bunch of people leaving church and break your favorite pair of shoes and drop your book and loose your bookmark to the wind. And it was your favorite bookmark.

With a Playaway, you're free to watch for cars, abnormally large bumps in the sidewalk, small children wielding squirt guns, friendly or not so friendly dogs etc. etc. They are similar to ipods and even come complete with earbuds. All you have to do is press play and start walking, jogging, biking or even just sitting outside in the nice warm sun. We have about 60 titles available from authors such as James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman, David Baldacci, Nicholas Sparks and Joseph Conrad, just to name a few.

Patron Recommendations

Our wonderful patrons recommend so many good books, I thought I would pass a few of them along.

Wyoming Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities and Other Offbeat Stuff by Dina Mishev is the definitive collection of Wyoming's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for Wyoming residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist. 917.8704 MIS






Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron is the heartwarming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa, as told by his owner and companion of nineteen years, Vicki Myron, the librarian who found him on a frigid January morning when he was abandoned as a kitten in the book drop slot. It is also the story of a remarkable small town, which burned down at the beginning of the Depression, only to rebuild itself, and which was almost shuttered during the farm crisis of the 1980s, before regrouping and rededicating itself to small town American values. Dewey's local charm and worldwide fame became a symbol of hope for this recovering town. Through Dewey's antics, we come to know and love many of the colorful and inspiring people of Spencer. We also have this book on PlayAway (What's a PlayAway? Click here to find out!) 636.8092 MYR & PA 636.8092 MYR


The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity by William P. Young.
Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. FIC YOU

Tomorrow is National Relexation Day

Since tomorrow is National Relaxation Day, I'd like to share a few ways the library can help you find time to relax:

Read a book: we have over 40,000 titles to choose from, including topics such as yoga, meditation and Ti-Chi.
Watch a movie: we have a nice selection of videos and DVDs for all ages.
Surf the net: with our computer lab and free wi-fi services, you can unwind on the net in the quiet atmosphere.
Listen to music: in addition to audio books, we have music CDs available for checkout.
Thumb through a magazine: we subscribe to nearly 90 different magazines, so there's something for everyone.
Catch up on the news: 15 newspapers are available for a nice variety of local, regional and national news.
Work on a puzzle: we have a puzzle room full of puzzles you can either check out and take home or work on in the library.
Take a walk with a book - our PlayAway audio devices are great listening!

So take some time to relax and enjoy National Relaxation Day!
And ladies - if you have a weekend honey-do list (like me), you may want to keep this lesser known holiday under your hat :-)

Based on the Book

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: