Library Lover's Month

Even superheroes sometimes forget to return their library books.

But don't fear -

Library Lover's Month is here!
To celebrate February as Library Lover's Month, we will be offering amnesty on overdue books. Any overdue book returned in the month of February will be forgiven its overdue charges. So, if you checked out your books before Christmas, or even before last Fourth of July, now is the perfect time to return them. Because we love libraries, but we love people using them even more.

February Brown Bag Program

Join us Friday, February 6th @ Noon in the Alliance Learning Center Community Rooms

Jodi Mischnick reviews
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

The program and refreshments are provided courtesy of Friends of the Library.

In Memory of John Updike

Author and poet John Updike passed away yesterday at the age of seventy-six. He is a two time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his novels "Rabbit is Rich" and "Rabbit at Rest" and has claimed two National Book Awards in addition to many other literary prizes. Having written over 50 books, Updike is best know for his "Rabbit" novels, which chronicle the life of a man decade by decade, from the 60's to the 90's. He is also known to be a great defender of the written word, encouraging book stores and printers to stand firm in light of the digital age.

We have many books by this widely acclaimed author, and invite you sample or revisit his works as a tribute to his literary achievements.

Bookworm

FICTION
DEADLY HARVEST by Heather Graham: When a young woman is found dead in a field, dressed up as a scarecrow with a slashed grin and a broken neck, the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, begin to fear that the infamous Harvest Man is more than just a rumor.

YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME by Dean Koontz: Internet entrepreneur Ryan Perry, diagnosed with incurable cardiomyopathy, is lucky to receive a heart transplant in time to save his life, and things are just starting to return to normal when he begins receiving unmarked gifts and messages from a stalker who claims the heart is hers.

CRUEL INTENT by J.A. Jance: Former television journalist Ali Reynolds tries to defend her contractor Brian when he is named a prime suspect in his wife's murder and in the process uncovers a sadistic killer who finds his prey by hacking into a dating sight for housewives looking for a sexual relationship with married men.

THE PRIVATE PATIENT by P. D. James: Adam Dalgliesh, a charismatic police commander, investigates the case of Rhoda Gradwyn, a forty-seven-year-old journalist murdered after a visit to the plastic surgeon to remove an old scar, and discovers a tangled web of motives and strange suspects centered on life around Cheverell Manor.

A DEADLY SILVER SEA by Bob Morris: The Royal Star, the most exclusive cruise ship in the world, is leaving Miami with many notable and wealthy passengers. Gunmen take over and kill most of the officers and sequester passengers. Zack and Barbara, who is 8 months pregnant, are separated. Without knowing the motive of the gunmen, Zack must figure out a way to stop them and keep himself and his wife alive.

THE FOURTH TIME IS MURDER by Steven F. Havill: Undersheriff Estelle is as busy as ever. The sheriff is still not recovered from his stint in the hospital and she is recovering from a hospital stay herself. She almost reaches home when her cell phone rings and a truck has gone off the road. There are more questions than answers.

ODD GIRL OUT by Timothy Zahn: Frank Compton, employed as a sort of intergalactic detective for the mysterious alien Spiders, working to thwart the Modhri, a group-mind intent on infecting Earth, suspects that the Modhri are the source of all his troubles when a young woman who had demanded his help in finding her ten-year-old sister is later found dead--killed with his own gun.

NON-FICTION
2008 EDITION BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONS OF THE YEAR by Charles Brooks: Reprints over four hundred American editorial cartoons from the year 2007, covering the Bush administration, immigration, the economy, foreign affairs, entertainment, sports, and more.

THE ART OF THE FAMILY TREE by Jenn Mason: Contains ideas and instructions for using paper, fabric, and collage to turn family trees into works of art.

THE OFFICIAL PRECIOUS MOMENTS COLLECTOR’S GUIDE TO FIGURINES by John Bomm: With more than 2,300 bisque figurines presented and including current as well as retired pieces, this book is undoubtedly the most comprehensive, official guide to Precious Moments figurines on the market.

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DIY PROJECTS FOR LUXURIOUS LIVING by Jerri Farris: A custom wine cellar with bistro seating; an elegant den with built-in library walls; an electric steam-room in the master bath; a billiards room with a fun, retro wet bar; a custom closet as big as a bedroom, homeowners dream of the special features that set a home apart and make it extraordinary.

HARD TWIST WESTERN RANCH WOMEN by Barbara Van Cleve: Photographs that show the women of the contemporary western ranch mostly at work in the fields, but also at home with the family and in the ranch office.

GOLDEN EAGLE by Floyd Scholz: This book presents a behind-the-scenes look at how Floyd Scholz creates one of his most ambitious pieces-a life-size golden eagle in flight. Beautiful color photos document the carving's progression from a block of wood to a finished work of art. The accompanying text offers how-to information as well as Scholz's thoughts as he works on the carving.

GUNSMITHING WITH SIMPLE HAND TOOLS by Andrew Dubino: Information on planning a workshop and acquiring basic tools, repairing and improving firearms, metals, files, abrasives, small parts, and how to blue and polish a gun.

Based on the Book

This week's feature is The Cider House Rules by John Irving, which was made into an academy award winning movie in 1999. The story follows a young man who has lived his whole life in an orphanage. He is anxious to strike out on his own and must travel a long way to find the place where he truly belongs. We have both the novel and the DVD available for checkout.

Attention Genology Buffs!

While going through the Nebraska Learns 2.0 Class, I discovered a free online geneology tool perfect for all of you tech-savy geneology enthusiasts called MyHeritage. The free software allows users to create online profiles of their family heritage using a family tree, photos documents and more. It includes face recognition technology to help researchers identify unknown people in their family photos, works with 34 languages and has translation tools. Users can even publish their findings to the web, with privacy options, so it can be shared with family and friends.

For more information on this free application, visit www.myheritage.com/geneology

Help with your series searches!

Today I stumbled across a wonderful resource for all of you series readers out there. The wonderful Nebraska Library Commission has a searchable online database where you are able able to quickly find the title of the next book in your series. You can search using either the series title, author title or a book title. Just think, you'll never have to read series out of order again!

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/ref/booksinseries/index.html

NetLibrary

One of our often overlooked services, NetLibrary allows our library patrons to search an online collection of books from the comfort of their personal computer. NetLibrary allows us to provide a vast amount of information to complement and diversify our collection and offers many special interest works and scholarly findings.

You are able to browse the collection using a simple keyword search. When you find a title you would like to read, simply click on the image of the book and it will open as a PDF file. You can browse through the book either by chapter or page by page.

To creat a free account, simply contact us here at the library and we will help sign you up. You will then be able to browse the collection from any computer.

eBooks also appear in our catalog, which you can search online at http://www.alliancelibrary.org/, and are marked with a little "e" to the right of the title.

Bookworm

NONFICTION

I BET I WON’T FRET by Timothy A. Sisemore: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders in children. It causes intense worry and anxiety that can disrupt emotional, academic, and social development. The good news is that GAD is highly treatable and children can be taught to manage and even overcome it.
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE 2009 by Richard Nelson Bolles: Offers advice to job hunters and career changers on how to find their dream job, including tips on writing resumes, conducting online job searches, starting a business, making contacts, interviewing, and negotiating salaries.
NOLO’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EVERY LAW: Presents information, guidance, and lists of further resources on law related to houses, the workplace, patents, copyright, money, cars, and numerous other subjects.
NEBRASKA’S COWBOY TRAIL by Keith Terry: The "Cowboy Line" follows the Chicago and Northwestern railroad and will become the longest rail-to-trail conversion in the nation. This guide covers information for hikers, bikers, and horsemen with accommodations, history, ecology and pointers for food, lodging, and camping.
NO JOB? NO PROB! By Nicholas Nigro: Offers valuable tips and timely resources for landing your next job, plus advice and possibilities to weather the storm of unemployment and thrive.
ON THE DIVIDE by David Porter: On the Divide analyzes the iconic image that Cather helped develop for herself, in contrast to the anonymous face she adopted for promotional activities and the very different private self she shared only with friends and family.
THE LOKATA GHOST DANCE OF 1890 by Rani-Henrik Andersson: Uses for the first time some accounts translated from Lakota. This book presents these Indian accounts together with the views and observations of Indian agents, the U.S. Army, missionaries, the mainstream press, and Congress.
MAYOR HELEN BOOSALIS by Beth Boosalis Davis: The story of Helen Boosalis is the story of American democracy at its best-a daughter of Greek immigrants who became one of the nation's best mayors and barely missed becoming the governor of Nebraska.
KIOWA HUMANITY AND THE INVASION OF THE STATE by Jacki Thompson Rand: Illuminates the ways in which Kiowas on the southern plains dealt with the U.S. government’s efforts to control them after they were forced onto a reservation by an 1867 treaty.
THE ULTIMATE FIELD GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY: Offers advice from fifty professional "National Geographic" photographers on how to take great pictures using film or digital cameras, looking at different types of cameras and accessories, and describing beginning and advanced techniques.
GIVE ME EIGHTY MEN by Shannon D. Smith: The story of what has become popularly known as the Fetterman Fight, near Fort Phil Kearney in present-day Wyoming in 1866, is based entirely on this infamous declaration attributed to Capt. William J. Fetterman.
THE LONG EMERGENCY by James Howard Kunstler: Presents an examination of the United States dependency on cheap fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, describes its diminishing supply, and forecasts a grim scenario for the future that includes a regression back to local economy and a downsizing of everyday life activities.
CONSUMER GUIDE TO HOME ENERGY SAVINGS by Jennifer Thorne Amann: A guide through the confusing process of improving your home's energy use with readable and clear illustrations.
GOING GREEN by Sally Kneidel: Provides information on sustainable living, discussing energy-efficient and clean transportation, housing, land use, food, and clothing.

Based on the Book

This week's Based on the Book feature is Jane Austen's Persuasion.

After the man whose proposal she had rejected returns from his long military tour at sea, Anne Elliot is forced to face the decision she had made eight years before, along with the man she has never stopped loving, in Jane Austen's final novel.

We have both the novel and the BBC film interpretation shown here available for checkout.

Happy Birthday A.A. Milne!

Today is the birthday of the late A.A. Milne, who gave us the loveable characters and stories of The Hundred Acre Woods. If you haven't read the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, I would highly recommend them to both adults and children. They make for some

enjoyable reading, no matter how old you are.

Here are a few links to give more information on A.A. Milne, with a few fun Pooh inspired games thrown in for good measure:

A.A. Milne Biography

The Original Toys

Pooh Inspired Recipes (my guess is they all use some form of honey)

A.A. Milne Quotes

The Poetry of A.A. Milne

A.A. Milne Bibliography

Pooh Games

Winnie-the-Pooh Coloring Pages

Russian Winnie-the-Pooh Cartoon (still cute even though I couldn't understand most of it)

Coming Soon!

The library will be hosting a series of informative evening events on Native Americans. Stay tuned for more information!

Don't Forget About Overdrive!

I just want to remind you that we are a participating Nebraska OverDrive Library, which means you can access thousands of audio books from the comfort of your home computer in three easy steps.

1. Simply click here to sign in using your library account number and install the free software. Your account number can be found on the back of your library card or you can give us a call and we will give it you.

2. Browse and check out titles (up to 4 at a time)

3. Download to your computer or storage device and enjoy!

If you have any questions about the OverDrive service or need your account number, just contact us at the library and we'll be happy to help.

Friends of the Library

Just thought I would share some of the recent Friends of the Library projects. They have recently purchased a wonderful rug for the children's section. It has an alphabet border surrounding a family of bunnies who are all reading books and is quite stunning. The kids love it! Below is a picture of our Tuesday night storytime group on the rug.

The friends have also recently refinished a table that was purchased in 1912 when the library was in the Carnegie Building. It is a beautiful table and the old saying "they just don't make 'em like they used to" seems to fit it wonderfully. Below is a picture of some of the Friends with the table.
Friends of the Library is a nationwide non-profit, volunteer driven organization that raises funds for the library. The main fundraising is accomplished through two books sales that take place in the spring and the fall of each year. For more information on how to get involved with the Friends of the Library, just contact the library.

Bookworm

Fiction
SWALLOWING DARKNESS by Laurell K. Hamilton: Meredith Nic Essus, pregnant with twins, accepts her uncle's false claim that he is the father of her unborn children in order to gain her own place on the throne, but conspirators, slander, and Taranis himself are all determined to eliminate Meredith's personal guard, the only ones who can protect her.

ENDER IN EXILE by Orson Scott Card: Ender is offered the choice of living in isolation on Eros at one of the Hegemony's training facilities, but chooses to journey out to the colonies with his sister, Valentine.

THE MEMORIST by M.J. Rose: Meer Logan, haunted since childhood by memories of what seems to be a treasure box, travels to Vienna when the actual box--once owned by Beethoven--shows up in an auction catalog, and she is forced to face the possibility that she was the composer's lover in a past life, and the reality that someone is trying to kill her.

JUST AFTER SUNSET by Stephen King: Collects twelve short stories by Stephen King on the theme of relationships, including new stories and previously released material such as "The Gingerbread Girl," "The Things They Left Behind," and "The Cat from Hell."

THE BODIES LEFT BEHIND by Jeffrey Deaver: Investigating a late night emergency call that came from a Wisconsin vacation home, deputy Brynn McKenzie narrowly escapes an encounter with two professional criminals, and flees into the woods with Michelle, the city-girl who rented the house for the weekend, but if the women want to survive, they will have to learn to trust one another.

A MERCY by Toni Morrison: Florens, a sixteen-year-old slave on a Virginia plantation is given to a Dutch trader named Jacob Vaark as payment for a debt owed to Vaark by her master, and moves to his small Northern farm where her presence is felt keenly by Vaark's childless wife Rebekka, Native American servant Lina, and Sorrow, a foundling.

JESUS by Deepak Chopra: Captures the extraordinary life of Jesus in this surprising novel. The author uncovers the transformational "lost years" that are not recounted in the New Testament.

Nonfiction
DESCENT INTO CHAOS by Ahmed Rashid: Explores the progression of nation building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia since the events of September 11, 2001, contending that U.S. foreign policy in the region has failed and discussing various issues, such as nuclear programs, the Indian-Pakistani rivalry, and the resurgence of the Taliban.

AXES: Willa Cather and William Faulkner by Merrill Skaggs: Axes traces the intimate relationship between the texts published by Willa Cather and William Faulkner between 1922 and 1962. When those texts are juxtaposed and examined carefully, the two writers seem intensely conscious of, and responsive to, each other’s work.

VALENTINES by Ted Kooser: A collection of twenty-three Valentine poems by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ted Kooser.

PITCH LIKE A GIRL HOW A WOMAN CAN BE HERSELF AND STILL SUCCEED by Ronna Lichtenberg: Explores a new kind of style-persuasion categorization--pinks versus blues or stripes of both colors--to demonstrate how women (and yes, men, too) can use their natural powers of influence for success.

DANCE LODGES OF THE OMAHA PEOPLE by Mark Awakuni-Swetland: Describes both history and ethnography and presents a useful case study of Native cultural resistance and adaptation to pervasive efforts at detribalization and assimilation.

LOREN EISELEY COMMENTARY, BIOGRPHY & REMEMBERANCE: Born, raised, and educated in Lincoln, Nebraska, Loren Eiseley (1907–77) was a highly respected writer and poet best known for explaining complex scientific concepts in poems easily read and understood by the general public.

NEBRASKA MOMENTS by Donald Hickey: A collection of essays in which Donald Hickey and others discuss the people, events, and institutions of Nebraska.

Based on the book

This week's based on the book feature is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, which we have in our library collection. In the story, a girl, whose father can read story characters to life, must face the fantastical when an evil villian escapes from the confines of his pages and tries to force her father into servitude. The movie releases on January 23rd, so there is still plenty of time to read the book.

Library Event

The Alliance Public Library, The Alliance Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Library are proud to present:

Kevin Horn and his autobiography

Memory Stadium . . . From Lincoln to Alliance: Growing Up a Nebraska Cornhusker

Thursday, January 15th at 7:00 p.m.

Alliance Learning Center Community Rooms

Nebraska Learns 2.0

Over the last few months, I have been participating in an online workshop being offered through the Nebraska Library Commission called Nebraska Learns 2.0. The purpose of the program is give librarians the much needed knowledge about the ever expanding world of technology, and to get libraries to think of new ways technology can serve our patrons and communities. Through simple excercises I have learned about new applications such as twitter, wikis, RSS Feeds, generators, social tagging and bookmarking and more! I've always thought that I was in the know on technology, but walking through this workshop has proved that advancement and innovation are everyday occurances and that it will take lifelong learning to stay with the times.

Nebraska Learns 2.0 is a workshop that anyone interested in the ever evolving world of technology can take advantage of. You don't have to be a librarian or a member of the NLC; you just have to be ready to learn, discover and have a little bit of fun in the process. Simply go the Nebraska Learns 2.0 Blog to get started, and if you have any thoughts on ways we could improve our services through new technologies, be sure to let us know.

Almost French

We have obtained a copy of Almost French by Sarah Turnbull, which was the book reviewed by Nancy Reiber at last week's Friends of the Library Brown Bag presentation. If you are interested in the social aspect of culture, the differences between cultures and the assimilation of culture, this book would be a good one to read. It is the author's memoir of the struggle to integrate into French culture as a native Australian. The book is on loan and can be checked out at the front desk.

January Display

Our January display is the rock, mineral and fossil collection of Brian Jones. Among his impressive display, you'll see amethyst, ammonites, fossilized clams, quartz crystals and more! his collection will be on display through the end of January, so be sure to stop in.

If you would like more information on Rocks and Minerals, we have a number of books on the subject, which can be found in the nonfiction section of the library cataloged under numbers 549-552.