News from KNOWhere - 8-21-09

It's the dog days of summer, and there's nowhere better to be than in our nice cool library!


News from Screven

It’s too groovy to miss, man! Original rock posters from San Francisco’s Summer of Love are on display at the library, and they’re like totally cool! Come in and see classic posters from bands like the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and more – but do it soon, because when August ends, they’re gone!

Tuesdays at 10 am we have our terrific storytimes for the little ones! Preschoolers are welcome to join in the fun as they are read a story and get to create a fun art or craft project. It’s a real blast for your kids, so bring them in and let them join in the fun!

Don’t forget our Free Movie Fridays every Friday at 3:30 pm! Friday, August 28 we’ll be showing TMNT as the heroes on the half-shell demonstrate some serious turtle power to fight against Shredder and his evil Foot ninjas.


News from Jenkins

Don't forget to come in Saturday, August 22 at 12:30 to solve a mystery: what is our Mystery Movie this time? Here's a hint: it's the hottest thing out there for preteen girls.

Monday, August 24 at 11 am we have a special storytime for the very tiniest people. It's "Mommy and Me", a terrific storytime designed to help infants and toddlers develop their brains and help their mothers strengthen their bond. This Monday we'll be focusing on games and poems, while we will be concentrating on toys and noise next week

This Wednesday, August 26 at 4 pm it's our "Puppy Tales" storytime, where preschoolers and young students can listen to stories about dogs and do a cute dog-related craft! It's a ton of fun for the little ones, and it's all free.

Can't get to the library in time to check in that overdue book? Want to see if the library in Statesboro has that DVD we don't have here? Learn how to renew books, find materials, request items from other libraries, and much more from the comfort of your own home or anywhere else that has internet access in a special PINES class on Friday, August 28 at 10:30 am!


Now, on to the books!

FALLING STARS: AIR CRASHES THAT FILLED ROCK & ROLL HEAVEN by Rich Everitt. They called it “the day the music died” – February 3, 1959. Three of rock’s biggest stars fell from the sky to perish in an Iowa cornfield. But that’s just the beginning of this book, which explores the many music legends who followed Richie Valence, Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper to an aerial demise.

MISS JULIA DELIVERS THE GOODS by Ann B. Ross. Miss Julia frets when Hazel Marie declared that she was feeling poorly – but she all but had the vapors when she discovers why! Can Hazel Marie possibly stir up more scandal? And will she really leave town as she claims and take little Lloyd, the apple of Miss Julia’s eye, along with her?

TALL, DARK AND DANGEROUS by Suzanne Brockmann. Two of Brockmann’s best novels, PRINCE JOE and FOREVER BLUE, in the same cover! In PRINCE JOE, media consultant Veronica St. John has to turn a streetwise Navy SEAL from New York into a European prince. In FOREVER BLUE, Lucy Tait has been fantasizing about Blue McCoy since they were both in school. Now he’s a Navy SEAL and accused of murder – and she’s the cop assigned to solve the case!

PLUM SPOOKY by Janet Evanovich. The Jersey Devil haunts the Pine Barrens of New Jersey – but he’s the least of Stephanie Plum’s worries as a professional killer teams up with a boy genius… and she’s the bounty hunter who’s got to try bringing them in!


DRAGONHEART by Todd McCaffrey. The dragons of Pern are falling ill and dying. Thread is coming all too soon. And the only ones left to defend the world are a group of weyrlings too young and untrained to fight Thread properly. Can young weyrwoman Fiona find a cure before there’s nothing left to save?


Check out these cool sites!

Smithsonian Photography Initiative
This site is designed to "introduce you to Smithsonian's extraordinary collections of photographs and to an understanding of the integral roles photographs play in our lives." Features the program "Click! Photography Changes Everything," which "is a collection of essays and stories by invited contributors and visitors like you discussing how photography shapes our culture and our lives." Also includes a link to the related blog "The Bigger Picture." From the Smithsonian Institution.

B Corporation
Background about B corporations, "a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems." Provides a list of B corporations, and information about the benefits of becoming a B corporation and the B corporation certification process. Also includes links to news. From B Lab, a nonprofit organization promoting B corporations.

Drug Interactions: What You Should Know
Fact sheet about drug interactions (drug-drug, drug-food/beverage, drug-condition), which "may make your drug less effective, cause unexpected side effects, or increase the action of a particular drug. Some drug interactions can even be harmful to you." Includes a section on reading labels on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and examples of drug interaction warnings. From the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Bon Appetit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian
This exhibit provides a look at chef Julia Child's kitchen, which was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. Features an interactive view of the kitchen (zoom in to learn about appliances and other items), images of selected items in the collection, sample stories from Julia Child (some with audio), and related items about the chef and the exhibit. From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The Julie/Julia Project
This blog mostly from 2002-2003 (and later made into a book) chronicles the efforts over one year of an American cook to follow all 536 recipes in the first edition of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Notes: Includes some piquant language. For navigation through the latter part of the site, click on "Home" and make your way back. A Salon.com blog.

Changing Language
"The English language is vast, flexible, fascinating, frustrating, challenging, inspiring and endlessly changing. ... This website explores the way that the language has developed over hundreds of years." Find a timeline covering the development of the English language back to the Celtic period, historical examples of written English, and thematic material on English such as cutting edge (slang and jargon) and inflections. From the British Library.

Well, that’s all for now – see you at the library!

News from KNOWhere - 8-12-09

Summer vacation is over, school is back in session - but we've still got great stuff for all ages here at the library!



News from Screven

The question of the month is “What Do You Geek?” and the answers are at the library! Come by the library and find out how we can help you find out more about what you’re passionate about, enjoy what you’re into, and find everything you need to get your geek on! And while you’re here, you can read our geek wall and discover what other people geek about. It’s pretty cool, so come in and geek out!

Thursday, August 13 at 4 pm we’ve got our great monthly craft day! Folks from four to a hundred and four can come in and create a cute craft project to take home with them – and it’s all free! These projects are really adorable and a ton of fun to make, so come in and sign up before all the spots are gone!

Want something to do that’s fun, free and fabulous for the whole family? Come in from the heat and enjoy our cool Free Movie Fridays on the big screen, every Friday at 3:30! This Friday, August 14 we’ll be showing SUPERCAPERS, in which a wannabe superhero joins a not-so-super team of superheroes and winds up with the fate of the world in his hands. Next Friday, August 21 we’ll be showing HANNAH MONTANA THE MOVIE, in which America’s favorite teenage superstar has to make a choice that will affect the rest of her life.

The River of Words has flowed into our library! This touring exhibit of poems and artwork by students from all over the state of Georgia is only in town until August 22 before it floats down to Statesboro, so make sure to come see the magic of the waters through the eyes of our children! Want to know more? Check out the River of Words site at http://gaprojectwet.org/gawet_row.html

Don’t forget to come see our groovy display! Jim Collins was lucky enough to be in San Francisco during the Summer of Love, and he brought back a whole lot of wild posters from some of the most happening bands to ever play the Golden Gate City! This display will only be available until the end of August, so make sure that you come in and see them before they’re gone forever!

News from Jenkins

Storytime is back, and better than ever! Miss Joanne will be telling stories and helping the little ones do cute projects every Wednesday at 4 pm. The next one will be "A Beary Good Storytime" on august 19 and it's for kids four years old and up.

Every Friday is "Favorite Friday"! Every week there's a different theme, and this Friday, August 14 is Spirit Day @ the Jenkins County Library, so wear your school colors! Next Friday, August 21 will be Scary Hair / Hat Day so create a freaky 'do or wear your favorite hat. While you're there, drop your name into the box and you just might get a cool prize!

Monday, August 17 at 11 am will be the first of our special storytimes for the babies! It's called "Mommy and Me" and it's a chance for Mommy and Baby to bond through songs and fingerplays that let you grow closer to your infant or toddler while helping them grow. This storytime is for mothers or caregivers and children three years old and younger.

Did you know that you can get into your PINES account from home - or anywhere else you have internet access? There's all sorts of useful things that you can do with your PINES account without having to ask a librarian for help, from requesting a book to avoiding those pesky overdue fines. Learn all about it on Friday, August 28 at 10:30 am in our Beginner PINES class!

Saturday, August 22 we've got our Mystery Movie Theater at 12:30 pm! 


Now, on to the books!

BLOOD ALONE: A BILLY BOYLE WORLD WAR II MYSTERY by James R. Benn.  Billy Boyle couldn’t remember a thing when he woke up in a field hospital in Sicily.  But as he recovers, he begins to remember things – things like why he was carrying a handkerchief from Lucky Luciano when he was attacked, and why he was sent in ahead of the troops when he landed in Sicily.

BREATHLESS by Lurlene McDaniel.  Most people think they know what they’ll do in a crisis.  But when Travis Morrison has an accident, he learns a horrifying fact he never dreamed of and finds himself making a choice he never dreamed that he’d have to… one that he never thought he would. 

DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES by James Patterson & Ned Rust.  Holliswood is a small, quiet town – but sometimes it’s the quiet ones that hold the darkest secrets.  Behind the flickering light of the television set lurks an evil the likes of which the world has never known.  To him, destroying Holliswood is nothing but a way to make the greatest documentary of all time.  To Daniel X, it’s life or death.

THE INCREMENT by David Ignatius.  An Iranian scientist calling himself “Dr. Ali” leaks Iranian bomb program secrets to the CIA.  When Dr. Ali reports he’s being followed, CIA agent Harry Pappas has to figure out whether Dr. Ali is legitimate or not, and how to get him out if he is.  But the situation is more complicated than he thought, and soon he’s forced to make a decision between what’s right and what his country demands. 

DYING FOR MERCY by Mary Jane Clark.  Tuxedo Park, NY is a haven for the ultra-rich… or it was, until anchorwoman Eliza Blake is invited to a party at Pentimento, a friend’s lavish estate.  But Pentimento is a house of secrets, a giant puzzle house that leads Eliza to the victims of a fiendish killer.

Links to the following sites can be found at www.sjrls.org

The National Numismatic Collection
Website for the National Numismatic Collection (NNC) of the Smithsonian Institution. "The NNC contains many great rarities in coins and currency, ... as well as fascinating objects such as beads, wampum, dentalia, and other commodities once used as money." View selected coins, currency, and medals from the collection, and virtual exhibits on topics such as on the evolution of American money from gold coins to credit cards. The FAQ section includes references and links.

Marathon Challenge
Companion website to this PBS Nova documentary that "follows 13 generally sedentary people through a training regimen designed to prepare them" for a marathon. Features participant and coach profiles, video diaries from some of the participants, a week-by-week training calendar, tips for novice runners, and other material about marathons and training. Includes a classroom guide and links to related books and websites.

Texts in Context
"Texts in Context is a rich and unusual collection of over 400 British Library texts. ... These 'everyday' texts illustrate the many histories -- social, cultural, economic, political, technical -- within which language is used and produced. [It includes] a whole range of characters: cooks, clerks, publishers, tradesmen, lexicographers, sea captains, smugglers and quack doctors, to name a few." Find introductory essays and book excerpts. (Audio not available.) From the British Library.

Online Bookshelves: Contingency Operations
Compilation of reference and research material about U.S. Army contingency operations, including Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), Panama (Operation Just Cause), Somalia (Operation Restore Hope), Bosnia-Herzegovina (operations Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard, and Joint Forge), and others. Includes books, book excerpts, short accounts, reports, and other publications. From the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

Well, that’s all for now – see you at the library!

News from KNOWhere - 7-10-09

This is it, the final days of our terrific Vacation Reading Program! If you have been one of our participants, we thank you, and hope that you will return your reading log to us by Saturday so that we will know how many hours you have read and so that you will be able to get all the prizes that you’re entitled to!

Speaking of Saturday, that’s when we have our awesome Karaoke Craziness teen wrap-up party! From 6:30 until 8 pm we’ll be making some noise with American Idol, Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution and more – plus there will be food, drinks, and a chance to hang out and have some fun with your friends! If you’re 10 or older, come and have a rockin’ Saturday night!

The final event for the Vacation Reading Program will be on Monday, July 13 at 11 am! Curious Moon Puppets will be staging a special presentation of “The Princess and the Frog” – one like no other you’ve ever seen before!

Don’t think that the end of our Vacation Reading Program means the end of the action here at the library, though. We are having a special Author’s Week here at the library with not one but two authors appearing here at the library!

On Tuesday, July 14 at 4 pm, nationally-known author and Screven County native Eva Marie Everson will be appearing at the library to talk about her life since hitting it big in the literary field, her experience as a writer and her newest book, WORDS LEFT UNSPOKEN. Light refreshments will be provided by the Sylvania Jr. Woman’s Club, and copies of the book will be available for those who are interested in purchasing.

Friday, July 17 at 7 pm, local author and assistant pastor of The City of Victory Sounds of Praise Church in Sylvania Elise “Lady D” Peeples, will be talking about her new book, WHO ARE YOU SLEEPING WITH? Her book is focused on developing one’s spiritual relationship with God, and with the one you love. Please come and support this new author July 17 at 7 pm!

Would you like to know how to scrapbook? Sign up today to learn about making scrapbooks on the computer from Wendy Boyd, scrapbooker extraordinaire! She’ll be showing people how to create cute cards and invitations on Tuesday, July 21 at 11 am. The class is free, but hurry – there’s only a few seats open for this special workshop!

Looking for a job? Worried you’ll be out of work soon? We can help! On Wednesday, July 22 at 10 am we will be hosting a Resume & Job Searching Workshop put on by the Sylvania One Stop Career Center, the Augusta Career Center, both of which are part of the Georgia Department of Labor. We’ve also gotten a ton of new books on resume writing and job searching, and as always, you’re welcome to come search for jobs and write up your resumes here at the library any time!

Now, on to the books!

JUST ANOTHER GIRL by Melody Carlson. Aster Flynn wants to date, have fun, and maybe get a job like other 17-year-olds. She wants a life of her own – one where she isn’t stuck watching her mentally-challenged little sister all the time, her father’s desertion or her mother’s and sister’s self-centeredness. Will she be able to escape her family’s demands and create a life of her own?

IMPERIUM: A NOVEL OF ANCIENT ROME by Robert Harris. Tiro, confidential secretary and slave to ambitious Roman senator Marcus Cicero, sets a terrifying series of events into motion when he opens the door to a stranger one cold November morning.

MCNALLY’S GAMBLE by Lawrence Sanders. Archy McNally’s living the life of many peoples’ dreams – staying up late at many a bar while keeping his eyes and ears open for the to-dos of the well-to-do. But when wealthy widow Edythe Westmore is urged to buy a Faberge egg, and her grown children want to stop her, Archy gets pulled in and everything goes to pieces.

LESSONS IN BECOMING MYSELF by Ellen Burstyn. Born in Depression-Era Detroit, she left home at 18 to become a model, then actress. From there, she played in movies such as THE EXORCIST, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, SAME TIME NEXT YEAR and ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE. Learn here about this versatile and talented actress.

CHRISTOPHER LOWELL’S SEVEN LAYERS OF DESIGN by Christopher Lowell. Christopher Lowell has built a thriving design and television career on his 7 layers of design, and if you follow his advice, you’ll be able to create a great room as easily as you put together a great outfit!

Links to these great sites can be found at www.sjrls.org

Sight Unseen
Companion to a 2009 exhibit that "presents work by the most accomplished blind photographers in the world. It is the first major museum exhibition on a rich subject full of paradox and revelation." Features gallery of photos (with audio descriptions), virtual exhibit tour, and text and audio of essay. From the California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside.

Baseline Scenario
This blog, written by economics experts, is "dedicated to explaining some of the key issues in the global economy and developing concrete policy proposals." Some of the topics covered include banking, mortgages, economic stimulus, and regulation. In addition to ongoing blog entries, it features a "Financial Crisis for Beginners" section and links to related content written by the authors for other publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.

Kids in the House
Use this interactive site to help children learn about the United States House of Representatives, the Office of the Clerk, and their roles in lawmaking. Also find historical material on important House events, historical figures, and works of art in the House; take a tour of the U.S. Capitol complex, the House chamber, and Statuary Hall; play games; and more. From the Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives.

Slate: Explainer
"Answers to your questions about the news." Covers both serious and frivolous topics such as why the color green is so important to the Muslim world, how many balloons would it take to lift a house, how to find a missing plane, why car dealerships are closing, and what is a pandemic health alert. Includes material back to 1998. From the online magazine Slate.

The Liberty Bell: Protecting an American Icon
Special report about the Liberty Bell, focusing on history of this famous symbol of independence and on the move of the bell in 2003 to its current location at the Liberty Bell Center in Philadelphia. Includes images, videos, a fact sheet, and details about wireless sensors used to monitor the Liberty Bell crack during its 2003 move. From the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Well, that’s all for now – see you at the library!