Thursday, April 30, 2020

Friday Kanopy Movie Pick: Sound City


You can watch movies via Kanopy at any time. To watch Sound City now, click here, then sign into your account.

If you do not have a Kanopy account, you can create one. Click here for instructions.

Head into the weekend with some good tunes! Our Friday Kanopy movie pick features Sound City. Directed by Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl, this documentary tells the story of Sound City, a LA-based recording studio where some of the greatest rock albums of all time were recorded.


Sound City was opened in 1969 by Joe Gottfried & Tom Skeeter. The facility had previously been a production factory of the English musical instrument manufacturer Vox.


Skeeter purchased a state-of-the-art recording console, which was one of four in the world. The first song recorded on the console was by Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham before they joined Fleetwood Mac. In 1976, Fleetwood Mac recorded "Never Going Back Again," a single on their Rumours album, which went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.

In the 1980s & 1990s, Sound City was used to produce music for artists such as Foreigner, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, & Nirvana. It developed a reputation for having a particular sound when recording drums, which influenced Rick Rubin to use it when he produced Johnny Cash's album Unchained.

In 2011, Studio City was closed to the public. Record label Fairfax Recording leased one studio, which was used by The Lumineers & Cold War Kids, among other artists. In 2017, Tom Skeeter's daughter, Sandy, formed a partnership with music executive Olivier Chastan to reopen the studio. While the control room received some upgrades, the main studio remains in the same condition as it was in 1969.

How to use Kanopy

Kanopy is a streaming service that is free to use with your WPL card. Your account has 4 watch credits per month. If you do not use your credits, they do not roll over to the next month. You will see a "play credit tracker" at the top right of your library's Kanopy platform to alert you of how many play credits you have remaining for the month.

To use a play credit, you must press play on a video and have the video play for at least 5 seconds. Once a play credit is logged, you will have a full 3 days (72 hours) to watch the video as many times as you would like without using another play credit, even if a new month starts and your credits reset. Your Viewing History will show any video that is still available to view in your 3 day window. After the 3 day window has expired, another play credit will be used if you press play on the video again.

Kanopy is currently offering credit-free viewing for select films. If you watch any of the movies on this list, you will not be using your credits. Once you log into your account, click the “credit free viewing" link on the top.

Popular E-Reads of the Week

Introducing another edition of Popular E-Reads, where the Popular Reads table at the downtown branch virtually visits your home. These are the featured titles of the week that you can find on OverDrive, and in the OverDrive or Libby apps. Before you search, make sure you're signed in with your CW MARS card, and remember these titles are popular so you may have to add yourself to a wait list. See you next Friday for more Popular E-Reads!



Featured Fiction Titles:
Walk the Wire: The Amos Decker Series, Book 6 by David Baldacci
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Featured Nonfiction Titles:
Hell and Other Destinations: A 21st-Century Memoir by Madeleine Albright
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe
The Upside of Being Down: How Mental Health Struggles Led to My Greatest Successes in Work and Life by Jen Gotch
The House of Kennedy by James Patterson and Cynthia Fagen

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

WooReads Adult Patron Book Reviews: Historical Fiction

This week we have stellar patron reviews about historical fiction. From the Dutch tulip craze to 1960s America, these patrons traveled to some impressive places on the page. There's still time to log the books you've read for WooReads: The Adult Read-In Challenge. Help us reach a community goal of 5,000 books read by May 31st. We know Worcester can do it!


Today We Go Home by Kelli Estes

A great story about a woman during the Civil War who dressed like a man to join the Union Forces, and her female counter part in modern time and their challenges with PTSD. 
~ Frances N.




One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus

Excellent. Fictional journal of one white woman in possible Cheyenne/US deal trade of 1000 white women/1000 horses to try to assimilate Cheyennes into white culture in 1875.
 ~ Jeanne C.




Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

For a fictional story the interview style of writing is an interesting way to look at a period in time. The author touches a number of classic themes. Good book. Moves well.
 ~ Chris T.


The Last Painting Of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith


Nice combination of history and fiction. You get a feel for the 1600s in Netherlands and learn about painting guilds around the time of the tulip explosion. The rest of the story is well-written and easy to follow even though placed in two time periods. You can feel the distinction of classes between the two main characters. Satisfying in that it is a story with a beginning, middle and end, unlike a lot of writing these days. ~ Linda J.

Worcester Public Library's Online Reading Challenge How-To Videos

Want to participate in Worcester Public Library's online reading challenge? Watch our tutorials below to learn how to register, log books, share reviews. Click here to register.

How to Register for the Online Reading Challenge 



How to Log Books




How to Share Reviews

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

When the Worcester Public Library Came to Town: The First Year


In 1959, 100 years after the Worcester City Council accepted Dr John Green’s 7,000-volume donation establishing the Worcester Public Library, my mother and I walked down to the Quinsigamond branch and applied for my first card.  I was four years old and very proud.  It occurred neither to me, nor to my parents, however, that I was doing anything out of the ordinary. After all, all of the adults I knew all carried library cards in their wallets and most communities in the United States, be it at the town or county level, supported a public library, many of them, like WPL’s Greendale branch, built with funds provided by industrialist Andrew Carnegie.

That was not the case, however, in 1859.  At that time Worcester boasted many libraries, the American Antiquarian Society with its 30,000 volumes among them. Many organizations and associations offered libraries for the use of their members, and many prominent families maintained extensive private collections.  So, as I asked in my previous posting, what was the big deal about the new Worcester Free Public Library?  The very fact that it was free and open to all of course.  In 1859 there was nothing commonplace about using public funds to maintain a library devoted to making information and yes, entertainment, available to all residents, taxpayers or no.  The first public library had been founded in Peterborough  New Hampshire just 30 years  before, and the first large public library, perhaps not surprisingly, Boston,  in 1848. So the opening of the Worcester Public Library on April 30 1860, was indeed a cause for celebration.  As incoming mayor Isaac Davis said in his inaugural address a few months later, “Thus in the short period of little more than a year, the city is possessed of a large and valuable library, open to all, high and low, rich and poor, native or foreign.”


 Initially, the library occupied a large hall on the 3rd floor of the Worcester Bank Block on Foster Street.  By the end of its first year of operation, the library’s holdings comprised between 14,000 and 15, 000 volumes, incorporating the contents of the Green library, the library of the Worcester Lyceum, and the generous contributions of private citizens. During that time, patrons borrowed on average 153 volumes per day, and there were 3,200 registered users, with an increase of between 10 and 12 new registrants each day. The basic organizational structure of the library had been set in place by the end of 1860. WPL’s first head librarian, Zephiniah Baker had been hired at a salary of $500 per year, and his assistant, Miss C Barnes, at $250. A twelve-member Board of Directors, including Dr John Green (for life) and industrialist Stephen Salisbury had been appointed in January, three months before opening day.   According the library’s first annual report, the rules and regulations established by the Directors “have been as few and as simple as possible with a proper regard to the security and preservation of the books.”  Fines were levied for failure to return items on time, as well as for loss, but The Board specifically rejected a motion to require a deposit for each volume borrowed, preferring to trust in the “honor and integrity of borrowers and readers.”



From the beginning, the Foster Street location was intended to be temporary.  To that end, the city purchased a lot on Elm Street from community leader Emory Washburn at a cost of $5, 042 and immediately began construction of a new library building.  The cornerstone was laid on July 4th 1860, accompanied by a series of celebratory events, including a banquet a Mechanics Hall, a military parade, and, best of all, “a balloon ascension”!  The building on Elm Street, which formally opened in 1861, remained the Worcester Public Library’s home for over 100 years until it was torn down and replaced by the Pearl Elm garage.  In 1964, the library moved into our current location, where many changes, adaptions, and renovations later, we remain, an integral part of our city’s cultural and educational landscape.

Monday, April 27, 2020

From Preparedness to Recovery: Fundraising for Natural Disasters




Candid (Candid.org) is a provider of resources for non-profits seeking information on philanthropy and the grant making process. Learn how to approach the shifting dynamic in fundraising by learning new tools and skills offered by Candid through video learning. Although some video courses have fees, there are many that are free to view. One new, free video to watch is "From Preparedness to Recover: Fundraising for Natural Disasters." 

For more information about grant resources for nonprofit organizations, please email jdzugan@mywpl.org

Birds of a Feather

There are no purple humans. There are no blue bunnies. There are no green deer. And there are no cyan lions.

Most mammals tend toward earth-colors. Beige, tan, ecru, brown, gray, russet, tawny, sienna… Why? Because they are either prey animals that have evolved camouflaging pelts in order to avoid being eaten, or they are predators from species which have evolved similar coloring in order to blend in with their surroundings - until it's time to pounce. No teal tigers either, but tawny stripes that fool the prey-animal's eye into thinking it's seeing blades of grass.

But birds have evolved a more complex strategy for survival of their species.

It's all about sex.

The color of bird plumage varies with habitat. For example, in the desert and in the forested areas of Australia, local birds also make use of camouflage. In the former habitats they are gray-backed and in the latter they tend to dark green. But in the arid inland regions, natural selection, in response to the short breeding season, has given the indigenous avian species bright, vibrant colors.

This visual message shouts "Look at me! I'd make a great mate!" But this is true mostly for males; females tend to be drabber. They can afford to be since, for these species, the females choose their mates and not vice versa. Females are more invested in the outcome of mating since their eggs are relatively few in number compared to male sperm.
Female and male cardinals
A difference in appearance or size between the genders is called sexual dimorphism and this difference may be great or small.

For some species, a bird's age is a factor in its plumage. A newly fledged European Starling, which is mostly black and brown, lacks the white dots at the feather-tips of its mature relatives.

And some species molt as the seasons change; new feathers may look just like the old ones, or they may be seasonally-specific. For example, in winter the male American Goldfinch is a mellow yellow and black fellow, but in May – the nesting season – the yellow becomes bright chartreuse. Presumably, female American Goldfinches find the new color scheme rather attractive.
American Goldfinch winter vs. summer plumage

So why do female birds go for the showy, ostentatious males? One theory is that saturated colors and extravagant plumage are biologically expensive to produce so they're an indicator of male health and virility. These attributes lead to healthier chicks.

Our perception of plumage color depends on 2 processes.

1) The feathers themselves (and the bird's skin) may contain pigments; their ratio to one another result in the final colors we – or, to be precise - other birds see. Melanin may make the feathers pale yellow or red-brown or deep black (ornithologists – scientists who study birds – also think that melanin strengthens feathers.) Carotenoid produces a bright yellow or orange. And the presence of porphyrin makes feathers red, pink, and green.

2) But there is another mechanism in play. The structure of a given feather also affects the perceived color. Feathers contain proteins and these proteins refract the incident light, in the same way a prism, when held up to a light source, creates a rainbow.

Common Ravens
Feathers may be iridescent – the angle from we view them changes the color perceived. Or they may be non-iridescent; light conditions can vary the color we see. And some birds have ultraviolet feathers; they reflect light within the UV range. This latter variation may not be visible to humans, but is quite eye-catching to another bird of the same species.








Would you like to read more about birds? Try these e-books, accessible free online using your library card: Bird e-books

Here are some photos of birds from around the world. Can you guess what pigments are at play? What feather structure?

Gouldian Finch
Spendid Fairy Wren
Yellow-Collared Love Birds
Indian Peafowl
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Paradise Tanager
Sun Conures
Violet-Backed Starling
Crimson Rosella

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Weekly Reads, Episode Three with Librarians Devon and Joy

In this Weekly Reads episode we introduce co-host Joy and offer 5 book recommendations: 2 fiction and 2 nonfiction, and one title that's releasing soon! This week’s suggestions include romance, American history, ghostly suspense, current events, and a new thriller. Tune in next week for another round of Weekly Reads.

Friday, April 24, 2020

New England Poets


Both in its history and in modern times, New England has inspired poets with its picturesque landscape and its deep historical roots. This blog lists a few prominent poets from our region along with a link to one of their works in e-book format. This is by no means a complete list of what we have or of the poets of New England, but we hope this will inspire you to seek out more talent fostered by the six states we call home!

Before clicking on these links, it helps if you’re signed into OverDrive with your library card.

A Selection of New England Poets

Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979): Resident of Massachusetts, and was born in Worcester. Known for traveling and writing about real-life experiences.

Poems by Elizabeth Bishop
This is the definitive edition of the work of one of America's greatest poets, increasingly recognized as one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century. Bishop's poems combine humor and sadness, pain and acceptance, and observe nature and lives in perfect miniaturist close-up. The themes central to her poetry are geography and landscape—from New England, where she grew up, to Brazil and Florida, where she later lived—human connection with the natural world, questions of knowledge and perception, and the ability or inability of form to control chaos.



Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): Resident of Amherst, Massachusetts. Known for her slant rhyme poetry.

Poems: Series I-III by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson was a reclusive poet, born to a family of good standing. She had fewer than a dozen poems published in her lifetime, though posthumously her sister found a cache of nearly eighteen hundred, all of which have now been published. Emily's style was broke with the common forms of poetry at the time, and foreshadowed what was to come. Her work was harshly criticized when first published, but she is now considered one of the American greats.




Donald Hall (1928-2018): Resident of New Hampshire. Known for writing about rural life.

The Selected Poems of Donald Hall by Donald Hall
Donald Hall is an American master, one of the nation's most beloved and accomplished poets. The Selected Poems of Donald Hall reflects the poet's handpicked, concise selection, showcasing work rich with humor and Eros and "a kind of simplicity that succeeds in engaging the reader in the first few lines" (Billy Collins).



Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882): Lived in both Maine and Massachusetts. Known for writing poems about legends and mythology.

Favorite Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was the most popular American poet of his time, and one of the most famous of all time. It has been said that his poems were once read in every literate home in America. A former teacher who fulfilled his dream to make a living as a poet, Longfellow taught at Bowdoin and Harvard, and is one of the few Americans to have a monument dedicated to his memory in Westminster Abbey.

Tips for Using Library Resources with Alex: Advanced Ancestry Searching

Want to get started researching your genealogy?  In this latest edition of Tips for Using Library Resources with Alex, learn all about how to access Ancestry Library Edition from home.  You'll also learn about some advanced searching strategies to help make sure that you're finding the exact family member that you're looking for!





Weekly Kanopy Picks


Grab the popcorn! WPL has movie night covered. It might be hard to pick a movie to watch when there are so many options out there. Also, many of those options aren`t free. With your WPL card, you can stream 4 movies per month for free through Kanopy using your "play credits."

How play credits work

To use a play credit, you must press play on a video and have the video play for at least 5 seconds. Once a play credit is logged, you will have a full 3 days (72 hours) to watch the video as many times as you would like without using another play credit, even if a new month starts and your credits reset. Your Viewing History will show any video that is still available to view in your 3 day window. After the 3 day window has expired, another play credit will be used if you press play on the video again.

If you do not have a Kanopy account, you can create one. Click here for instructions.


The Farewell
Running time: 100 minutes
Rating: PG

Billi's family returns to China under the guise of a fake wedding to stealthily say goodbye to their beloved matriarch- the only person that doesn't know she only has a few weeks to live.


Southside with You
Running time: 84 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Future U.S. President Barack Obama and lawyer Michelle Robinson go on a fateful first date in the summer of 1989.


Colette
Running time: 112 minutes
Rating: R

After moving to Paris, author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette agrees to ghostwrite a semi-autobiographical novel for her husband. Its success soon inspires her to fight for creative ownership and overcome the societal constraints of the early 20th century.


A Man Called Ove
Running time: 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Ove, an ill- tempered, isolated retiree who spends his days enforcing block association rules and visiting his wife's grave, has finally given up on life just as an unlikely friendship develops with his boisterous new neighbors. Based on the bestselling novel.


A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Running time: 101 minutes
Rating: R

Strange things are afoot in Bad City, an Iranian ghost town home to prostitutes, junkies, pimps, and other sordid souls. It is a place that reeks of death and hopelessness, where a lonely vampire is stalking the towns most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom.



Thursday, April 23, 2020

Friday Kanopy Movie Pick: Roller Dreams


You can watch movies via Kanopy at any time. To watch Roller Dreams now, click here, then sign into your account.

If you do not have a Kanopy account, you can create one. Click here for instructions.

Our Friday Kanopy movie pick features Roller Dreams, a documentary about the roller dancing craze that took over Venice Beach, California in the 1980s. The ocean side community became a refuge for young people of color seeking to escape the tumult of inner city life.

Known as Disco Alley, dancers Sally, Duval, Terrell, and their leader Mad, performed elaborate dance routines on the asphalt. This attracted men and women of all ethnicities, leading the dancers to believe that the prejudices of the past were behind them.
As roller dancing became increasingly popular, rivalries between old and new dancers escalated, drugs crept into the lifestyle, and police presence became oppressive. A once thriving multicultural activity was dismantled by gentrification and societal injustices.


How to use Kanopy 

Kanopy is a streaming service that is free to use with your WPL card.Your account has 4 watch credits per month. If you do not use your credits, they do not roll over to the next month. You will see a "play credit tracker" at the top right of your library's Kanopy platform to alert you of how many play credits you have remaining for the month.

To use a play credit, you must press play on a video and have the video play for at least 5 seconds. Once a play credit is logged, you will have a full 3 days (72 hours) to watch the video as many times as you would like without using another play credit, even if a new month starts and your credits reset. Your Viewing History will show any video that is still available to view in your 3 day window. After the 3 day window has expired, another play credit will be used if you press play on the video again.

Kanopy is currently offering credit-free viewing for select films. If you watch any of the movies on this list, you will not be using your credits. Once you log into your account, click the “credit free viewing" link on the top.

Popular E-Reads of the Week

Introducing another edition of Popular E-Reads, where the Popular Reads table at the downtown branch virtually visits your home. These are the featured titles of the week that you can find on OverDrive, and in the OverDrive or Libby apps. Before you search, make sure you're signed in with your CW MARS card, and remember these titles are popular so you may have to add yourself to a wait list. See you next Friday for more Popular E-Reads!



Featured Fiction Titles:
It's Not All Downhill from Here by Terry McMillan
Texas Outlaw: The Rory Yates Series, Book 2 by James Patterson and Andrew Bourelle
Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore

Featured Nonfiction Titles:
Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown by Anne Glenconner
More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
How to Be an Artist by Jerry Saltz

Why "America"?

"The United States of America"

"America the Beautiful"

"South, Central, and North America"

Why "America"?

In 1507, the German cartographer Martin WaldseemÏ‹ller drafted a map of the world. He labeled the southern continent of the western hemisphere "America", the very first time this designation was used – as far as has been documented – for any landmass. It was also the first western map to show an ocean between Asia and the western hemisphere; today we call it the Pacific.

The two-year effort was sponsored by a "gymnasium" of scholars located in France and with the patronage of the Duke of Lorraine.
Universalis Cosmographia

Waldseemϋller and his colleague Matthias Ringmann (a translator of Greek and Latin) worked together to update existing maps. The resulting map was printed in April of that year and was called Universalis Cosmographia. Only one copy of Waldseemϋller's map survives out of an original print run of 1,000, and we, as Americans, are lucky because it is housed in the Library of Congress (LoC). So when the coronavirus pandemic has been beaten, you can go look at our national treasures in person, including this historic map. The map is large scale, measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, and divided into 12 separately-printed sections. It was purchased by the LoC in 2003 for $10 million! See Universalis Cosmographia

Waldseemϋller's Gore Map
WaldseemÏ‹ller also created "gores": map sections designed to be pasted onto a sphere, to more accurately reflect proportions than a flat, 2-dimensional map. Five copies of his gore map survive, of which one was auctioned by the famous auction house Christie's in 2017; it sold for £ 545,600 – that is, more than a half million pounds sterling.

The full name of the wall map is Universalis cosmographia secundum Ptholomaei traditionem et Americi Vespucii aliorumque lustrationes ("The Universal Cosmography according to the Tradition of Ptolemy and the Discoveries of Amerigo Vespucci and others").

Who was Ptolemy? Claudius Ptolemy was an ancient Greek astronomer and philosopher. He wrote a book titled Geography around the year 150 C.E. This book, actually a manuscript ("manu" – means "by hand"), described the world known to the learned people of his time. Sailors traded, and sometimes guarded, knowledge of shorelines and wind directions. There was much speculation in this early atlas which includes an essay on the art of cartography itself.

Agathodaemon's map
But Ptolemy didn't actually create the map that Waldseemϋller was emulating. That credit goes to Agathodaemon of Alexandria (a city in northern Egypt named for Alexander the Great). Agathodaemon is a shadowy figure who probably lived sometime between the 2nd century C.E. and the 6th.

Ringmann noted that Europe and Asia were named for women, so he thought it would be acceptable to name the "new" land after a man. He had great respect for Amerigo Vespucci, whom he called a "sagacious genius", and chose a Latinized form of his name, "America", to use on his map. This was controversial, especially since Vespucci was still alive at that time.
Detail of Universalis Cosmographia showing "America"

So who was Amerigo Vespucci?

Vespucci was a contemporary of WaldseemÏ‹ller's. He was born in Florence, Italy, and was an explorer, merchant, and navigator – the latter profession a highly respected one during a time before the ability to accurately determine longitude. He sailed on behalf of Spain in 1499 and then for Portugal in 1501. He was the first to use the term "New World" (to be precise he used the Latin "Mundus Novus") – which he coined after visiting what we now call Brazil. Its "discovery" has been attributed to him. On at least one of his voyages his ship captured natives of this New World, and enslaved them.

Although the historic record surrounding his activities has been debated, it appears that Vespucci was good at self-marketing. He wrote books about his adventures and might have overstated his prominence, leading to offers of employment upon his return by King Ferdinand of Portugal. Moreover, the Spanish crown proclaimed him a citizen of Castile and Leon.

To read more about WaldseemÏ‹ller's work and the exploration of the Mundus Novus, see Christie's Auction Detail,  Library of Congress catalog entry, and The Fourth Part of the World 

And here is a list of eBooks on the exploration of the Americas which you can download for free using your WPL library card: WPL eBooks

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

WooReads Adult Patron Book Reviews: Sci-Fi

Take a trip to outer space with our patron reviews for this week. Not a fan of Sci-Fi? Maybe one of these reviews will convince you to try it! Log your books to help us reach our community goal of 5,000 books read by May 31st for our WooReads: The Adult Read-In Challenge.  If there's a book you'd like to recommend to other readers, write a review and we might use it for our next post.



Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle

Adorable! I loved this book. ~ Irene U.



Dark Passage by Junius Podrug

Very good book about time travel. Very imaginative. Enjoyed the book a lot.
~ Miriam V.




A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen

What happens after the world ends? How do the survivors go on? Mike Chen's novel follows 4 survivors of a massive pandemic and their lives in San Francisco in 2025. The importance of family gives this novel lots of emotion and grounding with sympathetic characters.
~ Mary R.



The Fall of Crazy House by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

A teen book. OK read. Reminded me of the Hunger Games but not as exciting. Left you hanging somewhat in end. ~ Karen S.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Career Transitions Database


As you navigate the ever-changing workforce, you may find yourself in need of guidance on resume building and interview practices. Career Transitions Database is a free database that you can access with your WPL card. Here you’ll be able to search for a job, get interview tips, prepare yourself for a career change, and more.

How to access Career Transitions Database
  1. Visit mywpl.org
  2. Click “resources.”
  3. Under “research” (third column), click “online databases.”
  4. Under “by subject”, click “jobs & career.” You will see the link for Career Transitions.
  5. Click the house icon. You’ll be required to enter your library card number and pin.
Before getting started, be sure to create a Career Transitions account if you haven’t already done so. It is not required, but you will be able to save your work this way.

Jobs, Resumes, & Interviews

1. Find a job: Look for new jobs by title, keyword and location. You can also search for internships if you’re new to the workforce and need experience.

2. Write a resume: View resume samples, articles, and videos for tips on resume writing.

3. Write a cover letter: Like resume help, this gives you step-by-step assistance with writing a cover letter.

4. Tips & Advice: Get advice on networking, interviewing, and career strategies. These tips will help you develop a well-rounded process when job searching.

5. Interview Simulation: Practice answering interview questions and learn about pre-interview preparation.

Career Search

If you’re interested in changing careers, you can use these resources to find other job fields of interest to you.

1. Assess your career interests: Take a survey to be matched with various careers.

2. Browse career paths: Explore how to become qualified for a certain job.

3. Match your experience to new careers: Search for new careers to which you can apply your current level of experience.

4. Search schools & programs: Search for programs available based on cost, type of school, & type of program.

The Daily Leap Blog: Read articles & watch videos from career experts.

Weekly Reads, Episode Two with Librarian Devon

It’s time for Weekly Reads, where we offer 4 online book recommendations. This week’s suggestions include a mystery, humorous short stories, a sweeping family saga, and a new thriller. See if there's one you like, and be sure to return next week for more recommendations.




Featured Titles for Episode Two:
Only Time Will Tell: The Clifton Chronicles, Book One by Jeffrey Archer
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
American Housewife: Stories by Helen Ellis
Still Life: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Series, Book 1 by Louise Penny

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

"Have you heard the one about…?"

"Knock, knock. Who's there?…"

"There once was a man from Nantucket…"

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"How many Klingons does it take to change a lightbulb?"

Humor. Jokes. Puns. Riddles. Irony. Giggles. Laughter. We all need to de-stress sometimes, and more so this pivotal year of 2020 than we've needed to in a long time.

Remember the saying "laughter is the best medicine"? Laughter initially raises blood pressure, but then decreases it. It lowers blood sugar levels. It relaxes your muscles and improves your attitude. A good laugh brings into your body more oxygen and it stimulates your heart and lungs. Several studies have shown that laughter is an effective pain-reliever. Like chocolate, it releases endorphins (the "feel-good" chemicals) into your brain – but without the concomitant calories.

It creates community. When you laugh with your family or friends, you create both bonds and shared memories. We laugh because we feel delight, joy, mirth, and happiness. Babies laugh before they speak a single word.

Do you know how to tell a funny story? When your audience expects one thing but you serve up something incongruous, you've set the stage for laughter. This formula is used by humorists the world over.

Besides professional comedians, there are many people who are trying to bring the benefits of laughter to the world. Dr. Madan Kataria of India developed a practice called "Laughter Yoga", and Licensed Social Worker Enda Junkins has written books on the subject and given presentations through her "Laughter Therapy Enterprises".

Loretta LaRoche, stress expert and humorist, has presented her funny and poignant programs at Mechanics Hall and the Hanover Theater right here in Worcester. Don't see anything to laugh about these days? LaRoche's catch-phrase is "Fake it till you make it!"

Sometimes we tell jokes or relate puns as an antidote for serious or dangerous circumstances. Here's an essay on humor in the African American community: Louisiana Folklife

Humor is an important part of human existence. There are even journals devoted to its study, for example The Israeli Journal of Humor Research: An International Journal. For an academic study of stand-up comedy, see Comedy Study

Humor may be "constructive" or "destructive". The former hurts no one and often depends on word-play. The latter may seem funny to a specific audience, while targeting another group of people - these latter folks might not find your "joke" funny at all. We recommend finding your humor-style without stereotyping people.

Did you know that Worcester played an important role in the history of laughter? In 1963, Worcesterite Harvey Ball was commissioned by the State Mutual Insurance Company (now renamed Allmerica; its headquarters are on Lincoln St.) to create a poster or logo to raise morale among its employees. Ball came up with the now-ubiquitous "smiley-face", for which he was paid $45.

Here are some eBooks you can access from home on comedy, humor, and laughter: eBooks on Humor & Comedy

So, to wrap up:

How do you tune a banjo?.... with wire-cutters!
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.
And did you know that exaggerations went up by a million percent last year?

ROFL.

We at WPL wish you all health and an occasional belly-laugh.