Friday, May 28, 2021

New Releases: June Edition

Did one of the book covers on our homepage catch your eye? They are all new titles being released in June 2021, and all are well-reviewed and anticipated. You can watch the video or read the description of each below, then click the linked title to request a copy or get your name on the wait list. And don't forget to watch for more featured releases next month!


Featured Fiction for June

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Twenty-three-year old August doesn't believe in much. She doesn't believe in psychics, easily made friendships, or finding the love they make movies about. She doesn't believe her new roommates, night shifts at a 24-hour diner, or daily subway commute are going to change that. But then, there's Jane. Beautiful, impossible Jane. The person August looks forward to seeing on the train. The one who makes her forget about cities she lived that never seemed to fit, her fear of what happens when she graduates, and even her cold-case obsessed mother. But when August realizes her subway crush is impossible in more ways than one-namely, displaced in time from the 1970s-she thinks maybe it's time to start believing. 

Rabbits by Terry Miles
Rabbits is an alternate reality game that uses the world as its canvas. Since it started in 1959, ten iterations have appeared and nine winners have been declared. Identities of the winners are unknown. So is their reward, which is whispered to be NSA or CIA recruitment, wealth, immortality, or even the key to the universe. Players have died in the past—and the body count is rising. Now the eleventh round is about to begin. Enter K—who has been trying to find a way into the game for years. The path opens when K is approached by billionaire Scarpio, rumored to be the winner of the sixth iteration. Scarpio says something is wrong with the game and K needs to fix it before Eleven starts. Five days later, Scarpio is missing. Two weeks after that, K blows the deadline: Eleven begins. Suddenly, the fate of the entire universe is at stake.

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo
Immigrant. Socialite. Magician. Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society--she has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She's also queer, Asian, adopted, and treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her. But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how.


Featured Nonfiction for June

Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford
For as long as she could remember, Ashley idolized her father. Despite having only vague memories of him, she thinks he's the only one who understands her. She's certain one day they'll reunite, and she'll feel complete. But he's in prison, and she doesn't know why he's there. Through poverty, puberty, and a fraught relationship with her mother, Ashley returns to the image of her father for encouragement. She doesn't know how to deal with the worries that keep her awake, or how to handle the changes in her body that draw attention. In her search for love, she begins dating a boy her mother hates; when the relationship sours, he assaults her. Reeling from the rape, Ashley finds out why her father is in prison.  

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
Beginning in New Orleans, Smith leads readers on a tour of monuments and landmarks—those that are honest about the past and those that are not—that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves. This is a deeply researched and transporting exploration of the legacy of slavery and its imprint on American history. How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country’s most essential stories are hidden in plain view—whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women, and children has been imprinted. 

House of Sticks: A Memoir by Ly Tran
Ly is just a toddler when she and her family immigrate from Vietnam to a two-bedroom apartment in Queens. Ly’s father, a former lieutenant in the South Vietnamese army, spent nearly a decade as a POW, and their resettlement is made possible through a humanitarian program run by the US government. After they arrive, Ly joins her parents and brothers sewing ties and cummerbunds to make ends meet. She knows she must honor her parents’ Buddhist faith and contribute to the family livelihood. But at school she feels pressure to blend in. Her inability to see the blackboard presents new challenges, especially when her father forbids her from getting glasses, calling her diagnosis a government conspiracy. His temper and paranoia leave an indelible mark. 

Thursday, May 27, 2021

WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page



We did it, WooReaders! We finished the WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page. As a community, we read thousands of books, attended virtual programs, and stayed connected through our love of the library. Even though this challenge is over, we have summer reading to look forward to! From June 7- August 14, we'll celebrate our theme of "Tails and Tales" with animal-themed activities and events. Visit mywpl.org to register for book clubs, art programs, and more! Join us on Saturday, June 12 from 11am -1pm for our Summer Reading Kickoff at the Main Library where you can register for summer reading, pick up some library swag, and bring home a Take and Make animal-themed craft for adults. See you in the summer!


King and Maxwell by David Baldacci 

King & Maxwell find a young teen with a gun racing in the rain and decide to help him. A lot of dangerous twists and turns. Good read! ~ Karen S.






I was intrigued by the book's synopsis-a black babysitter is wrongfully accused of kidnapping her charge, and the altercation is videotaped. However, I felt it's ebb and flow was disjointed, the dialogue was often ridiculous, and the microaggressions weren't addressed to propel any real conversations about race/racism between characters. 2 out of 5 stars. ~ Mary T.




A woman finds purpose when assisting a young girl about to become a mother. Good read! ~ Kathryn K.



Wonderful, wonderful book! Loved Sanctus and book two is just as amazing! Cannot wait to start The Tower, the 3rd book in the Ruin series. ~ Miriam V.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page

 


We're back for another week of adult patron book reviews! Submitted through the WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page, our patrons have reviewed books from all genres and provided great recommendations. Stay tuned for more information about summer programming and a new reading challenge! In the meantime, try our Book Bundles to receive five titles selected by a librarian just for you. Happy reading! 


The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel 

Incredible read! A man spends 27years living alone in the woods. He is only caught because he steals essentials (i.e. batteries, food, clothing, etc.) from neighboring cabins. ~ Mary T.





This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Loved the surprise towards the end. This is Steve Berry at his best!
~ Miriam V.





A military plane falls from the sky in Alaska. The finds it not who it is suppose to be. Big coverup, but by who? Finds the missing woman and together they finally solve the case. ~ Karen S.





Selected Stories of O. Henry

Great short stories! ~ Carolyn D.

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

MASS DOT Allston Muiltmodal Project Update May 2021


As a Metrowest community whose commuters may potentially be affected, MASS DOT has provided an updated fact sheet about the Allston Multimodal Project. Read below for project benefits, project background, and an environmental documentation preview. To view the fact sheets with corresponding images, click here. The fact sheet is also available at the second floor reference desk at the Main Branch along with the National Environmental Policy Act Review Scoping Summary Report. If you have any questions, please call our information line at (508) 799-1655 (ext. 3) or use our chat service


Project Benefits

As a result of this project:

• Livability, connectivity, and open space will improve for residents of the Allston neighborhood.

• Regional mobility and roadway safety will improve with the straightening of I-90 and the creation of a new stop on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Line called West Station.

• Replacement of the aging Allston Viaduct will decrease the need for traffic-impacting maintenance on this section of I-90.

• New open space along the Charles River will be created.

• Complete Streets improvements will be made to Cambridge Street.

• Bicycle and pedestrian connections will be enhanced.

• Significant transit enhancements will be made with the new West Station and Commuter Rail layover facility. 


Project Background

The Allston Viaduct, which carries the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) from the Allston Interchange to the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, is nearing the end of its useful lifespan, and must be replaced.

All Electronic Tolling allows for the Turnpike in Allston to be straightened and multimodal connections to be improved. Since the spring of 2014, MassDOT and its Design Team have been developing a concept for the replacement of the Allston Interchange.

The team is working with a Task Force composed of local residents, advocates, elected and appointed officials, representatives of local institutions and businesses, and the Allston community at-large.


Environmental Documentation Preview

January 2019: Soldiers Field Road (SFR) Hybrid selected as Preferred Concept for further analysis after report from an Independent Review Team. 

November 2019: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Scoping Report detailed SFR Hybrid concept’s construction staging. Single commuter track and SFR on a temporary trestle in the Charles River were both strongly opposed by the public. 

August 2020: Scoping Summary Report summarized and responded to comments on the NEPA report. From this feedback, the project team:

• Implemented a Major Preservation/No Build option for viaduct

• Addressed construction length and complexity and Charles River impacts concerns

• Revised the Modified At-Grade and Modified Highway Viaduct options presented in the Scoping Report

• Accommodate a potential future north-south pedestrian/bike connection

• Address visual impacts with aesthetic treatments

• Identified 3L Realignment Alternative as the Build Alternative for the interchange

• No Build Alternative and 3L Realignment Alternative with, SFR Hybrid, Modified At-Grade and Modified Highway Viaduct throat options to be analyzed in subsequent environmental filings

• Revised West Station and layover yard rail design to include 4 tracks and 3 platforms

Fall 2020: Public comment period-revised Modified At Grade throat option introduced to the public. Secretary Pollock announced the identification of a preferred throat option will happen after the next round of environmental filings and the No Build Major Preservation Alternative remains to allow time to build consensus on the throat area option and determine a finance plan for the project. MassDOTis anticipating filing a Notice of Project Change in 2021 to bring the State and Federal processes into alignment.


More Information and Ways to Stay Informed

MassDOT is currently continuing applicable federal and state environmental permitting, which includes more opportunities for you to provide input on the project. 

To learn more about the project and view project documents including past meeting presentations and minutes, or to be added to the project email list, visit the project website: www.mass.gov/allston-multimodal-project

Or contact the project team at I-90Allston@dot.state.ma.us.

To place a hold on the National Environmental Policy Act Review Scoping Summary Report, click here. You will be contacted when it is ready to pick up.



Beneficios del Proyecto

Como resultado de este proyecto:

• Habitabilidad, conectividad y espacio abierto mejorarán para los residentes del vecindario de Allston.

• La movilidad regional y la seguridad vial mejorarán al enderezar el autopista I-90 y con la creación de una nueva parada en la Línea Morada Worcester/Framingham llamada West Station.

• La sustitución del envejecido viaducto Allston disminuirá la necesidad de mantenimiento que afecta al tráfico en esta sección de la I-90.

• Se creará un nuevo espacio abierto a lo largo del Río Charles.

• Se realizarán mejoras completas en la calle Cambridge Street.

• Se mejorarán las conexiones para bicicletas y peatones.

• Se realizarán importantes mejoras de transito con la nueva West Station y la instalación de escala en la Línea Morada.


Antecedentes del Proyecto

El Viaducto de Allston, que lleva la Autopista de Peaje de Massachusetts (I-90) desde el Intercambiador de Allston hasta el Puente de la Avenida Commonwealth, está cerca del final de su vida Ãºtil, y debe ser reemplazado. Todo el peaje electrónico permite enderezar la autopista en Allston y mejorar las conexiones multimodales.

Desde la primavera de 2014, MassDOT y su Equipo de Diseño han estado desarrollando un concepto para la sustitución del Intercambio de Allston. El equipo está trabajando con una Comité compuesta por residentes locales, defensores, funcionarios electos y designados, representantes de instituciones y empresas locales, y la comunidad Allston en general.


Vista Previa de Documentación Ambiental:

Enero de 2019: Soldiers Field Road (SFR) Híbrido seleccionado como Concepto Preferido para mayor análisis después del informe de un Equipo de Revisión Independiente

Noviembre de 2019: Informe de Alcance de la Ley de Política Ambiental Nacional (NEPA) detalló las etapas de construcción del concepto SFR Híbrido. El público se opuso fuertemente a una sola pista de cercanías y SFR en un caballete temporal en el Río Charles

Agosto de 2020: El Resumen de Informe de Alcance resumió y respondió a los comentarios sobre el informe NEPA. A partir de estos comentarios, el equipo del proyecto:

• Implementó una opción de Conservación Significativa/No Construcción para el viaducto

• Abordó las preocupaciones por la duración y complejidad de la construcción y los impactos al Rio Charles

• Modificó las opciones Modificación a un Nivel y Modificación de Viaducto de Carreteras presentadas en el Informe de Alcance

• Acomodar una posible conexión peatonal/ciclista norte-sur

• Abordar los impactos visuales con tratamientos estéticos

• Identificó la Alternativa de Realineación 3L como Alternativa de Construcción para el intercambio

• Las Alternativas de No Construcción y de Realineación 3L con SFR Híbrido, opciones de garganta Modificación a un Nivel y Modificación de Viaducto de Carreteras serán analizadas en presentaciones ambientales posteriores

• Diseño de Estación West y de patio de escala ferroviario modificado para incluir 4 pistas y 3 andenes

Otoño de 2020: Se introduce al público la opción de garganta Modificación a un Nivel, ajustada durante el período de comentarios públicos. El Secretario Pollock anunció que la identificación de una opción preferida de garganta ocurrirá después de la próxima ronda de presentaciones ambientales y la Alternativa de Preservación Significativa Sin Construcción permanece para dar tiempo a establecer consenso sobre la opción de área de garganta y determinar un plan de financiamiento para el proyecto. MassDOT anticipa la presentación de un Aviso de Cambio de Proyecto en 2021 para alinear los procesos estatales y federales.


Más información y Formas de Mantenerse Informado

MassDOT continúa actualmente con los permisos ambientales federales y estatales aplicables, lo que incluye más oportunidades para que usted provee sus aportes sobre el proyecto. Para obtener más información sobre el proyecto y ver documentos del proyecto, incluyendo presentaciones y actas de reuniones anteriores, o para agregarlos a la lista de correo electrónico del proyecto, visite el sitio web del proyecto: www.mass.gov/allston-multimodal-project

O póngase en contacto con el equipo del proyecto en I-90Allston@ dot.state.ma.us.

Para reservar una copia de Proyecto Multimodal de Allston hace un clic aquí. Recibirá un mensaje cuando está disponible para prestar.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page

 


Enjoy this week's adult patron book reviews submitted through the WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page. There's still time to sign up, so click here to join. What's in it for me, you ask? Log 20 books or 3 activities and you'll be entered into a drawing for a Kindle Paperwhite! It doesn't get any better than getting rewarded for reading! 


The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

The Rook is a very fun thriller set in an England. Myfanwy (pronounced miffany) wakes up in field surrounded by dead people-people that she has apparently just killed in self defense. But she doesn't remember anything - no name, no history, no idea of what just happened. Fortunately there is a letter in her pocket that tells her all the basics and it was written by previous self to her new self. She is a Rook: a high ranking official in Britain's supernatural secret service. And there is a traitor who is trying to kill her. Very funny with lots of adventures and quirky characters. ~ Mary R.


This book follows a German woman, Ursula Kuczynski, who joins a young people's communist group in Germany pre-WWII to fight fascism. The author tells the story of her eventual training by the Soviets to become a spy. She travels to numerous countries to set up networks, gather information and send it back to Russia, all the while seeming to live a normal life with a husband and children. While those around her fell victim to Stalin's violent purge of agents, she remained shielded and operative. This is a very worthwhile, interesting book which follows her legacy right up to January 2020! ~ Linda J.

The Return by Rachel Harrison 

If you like thrillers, this is the book to try. Four best friends reunite after one has been missing for 2 years. She can’t remember what happened. I couldn’t read it fast enough! Her first book, hope she writes lots more! ~ Karen S.




I Iove reading about women who have endured so much suffering and hardship in their life to the beat the odds and triumph! ~ Jane O.

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page

 



We're in the final weeks of the WooReads Adult Challenge: Turn a New Page. There's still time for you to log your books and activities. If you log 3 activities or 20 books, you'll be entered into a drawing for a Kindle Paperwhite! Enjoy this week's adult patron book reviews featuring both fiction and non fiction. Don't forget to check out our Reader's Corner for booklists, recommendations, author events, and more! 


This Is All I Got by Lauren Sandler 

This is a tremendous account of the endless efforts a 19-year-old single mother pursues over the course of one year to try and provide a stable, safe home for her baby, who was born while residing in a shelter that limits the time a resident can stay there. This is a wonderfully written account of the social justice issues facing a segment of society that is often hidden in the shadows. ~ Linda J.

This is a must-read for anyone seeking to learn more about racism and related issues. Bias against those who we perceive to be speaking with an accent or a non-standard dialect is deeply rooted. An eye-opening book. ~ Jeanne G.



I was delighted to find this book! Good read! Twisted tale, you will never guess the ending. ~ Karen S.

Evie Mead, recently widowed, and her glamorous sister Margot travel to a remote island off the coast of Cornwall to check out the hotel which she may have just inherited. Evie tries to sort out the ownership details without admitting her interest but she is thwarted by an entire cast of quirky characters living on the island or nearby. This cozy will remind readers of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" with lots of plot twists and turns. ~ Mary R.

Monday, May 3, 2021

Gale Business: Entrepreneurship

 


This database is your go-to source for learning how to plan, finance, manage, and grow a business. It provides tools, guidance, and insights for small business owners or would-be entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of creating a business.

Gale Business: Entrepreneurship covers trending business topics and has an article search feature. The database also includes sample business plans, various templates for financial, cash flow, and income statements, business plan templates, a SWOT template, and a small business start-up checklist. Also included is information on how to buy a business, incorporate a business, sell a business, advertising and marketing concepts, and how to locate and expand a business. Video and audio recordings on business topics are included in this database. If you need assistance with getting started using Gale Business: Entrepreneurship, please contact Jackie Dzugan, our Business Resources Librarian, at jdzugan@mywpl.org.


Saturday, May 1, 2021

Kanopy: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

 



Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with Kanopy, a streaming service that is free to use with your WPL card. Explore the contributions, culture, and history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community with the recommended films below. Click here to view the full list of films curated by Kanopy. Sign in to mywpl.kanopy.com to watch on your computer or download the Kanopy app to watch on your mobile device or smart TV. Click here for instructions on how to create an account. 

Looking for more resources? Check out our Asian and Asian American Mysteries booklist, featuring mystery novels with Asian and Asian American protagonists written by authors of Asian heritage. For art and fashion, try the Books to Enjoy WAM's Kimono Exhibit booklist, celebrating kimonos and other Japanese art inspired by exhibits at the Worcester Art Museum

Patsy Mink: Ahead of the majority

Tells the remarkable political journey of an Asian American woman who battled racism and sexism, shattered barriers and redefined American politics.



Pidgin: The voice of Hawaii 

What if you are made to feel ashamed when you speak your "mother tongue" or ridiculed because of your accent? Pidgin: The voice of Hawaii addresses these questions through its lively examination of Pidgin, the language spoken by over half of Hawaii’s people.


The Grace Lee Project 

When filmmaker Grace Lee was growing up in Missouri, she was the only Grace Lee she knew. As an adult, she moved to New York and then California, where everyone she met seemed to know another "Grace Lee." But why did they assume that all Grace Lees were nice, dutiful, piano-playing bookworms? This refreshing film reveals the intriguing contradiction of the "Grace Lee" persona-simultaneously impressive and forgettable, special and generic, an emblem of a subculture and an individual who defies categorization.

Kumu Hina

A transgender Hawaiian school teacher inspires a girl to follow her desires and lead the school's male hula troupe.  

Meet the Patels

In this real-life "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," an Indian-American man who is about to turn 30 gets help from his parents and extended family so he can start looking for a wife the traditional Indian way.


Between the Lines: Asian American Women's Poetry

This documentary offers rare interviews with over 15 major Asian-Pacific American women poets. Organized in interwoven sections such as immigration, language, family, memory, and spirituality, it is a sophisticated merging of Asian-American history and identity with performance, voice, and image.