September is Library Card Sign-up Month

Do you have a library card? If you don't, sign-up for one today as we celebrate library card sign-up month in September. A library card is your free access to books, e-books, computers, video games, magazines, homework help, job searches, movies, music and more! What an amazing deal!

Sign up for a new library card at the first floor service desk and receive a voucher for a free, small coffee (hot or iced) from our Food for Thought Bookstore and Café! (Valid Sept. 3 –30. Applies to new patron accounts only)

Here are some cool ways you can use your Worcester Public Library card. Discover all the resources that are available to you for FREE!

• Search the library catalog, place holds and check your record online from the comfort of your home.
• Download ebooks, eaudio or emusic to read or listen to on your electronic devices.
• Visit a museum with a museum pass from the library.
• Bring your child to our amazing story hours and children’s programs.
• Use an Internet computer or the computer lab to get your work done.
• Browse through an array of magazines and newspapers available in the library or online.
• Support the library by being a member of the Friends of the Library, WPL Foundation or by volunteering.
• Check our selection of online databases that will help you prepare for a test, research for school, find the  value of a collectible or fix that classic car in your garage.
• Start your business research at the library with the various online tools and print materials we offer.
• Researching your family tree or Worcester History? Start with our Genealogy resources page or talk to our local history librarian.
• Take advantage of our Grant Resource Center and online databases to research your grant.
• Stay connected! Socialize with us, anytime of the day with Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and more!
• Peruse our Government Document collection which holds over 300,000 federal documents.
• Introduce your children to TumbleBooks, where they can read a book online.
• Use our career computers to search for job, write a resume or fill out an application.
• Learn a foreign language. You never know when your next trip abroad will be!
• Use our free WI-FI with your laptops and devices while you visit the library.
• Take advantage of the various classes and programs we offer for all ages.
• Need a quiet study room? Book a meeting or study room for your use.
• Can’t visit the library or its branches? Visit Libby, our bookmobile.
• Participate in a reading group and attend a book club for children, teens or adults.

August 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

August 26, 2013

“If it is necessary sometimes to lie to others, it is always despicable to lie to oneself.”

The Painted Veil
By W. Somerset Maugham

Having been raised by a high school English teacher, from time to time (ahem) I would receive book recommendations. Strongly emphasized book recommendations, around the dinner table, in the car, on the beach, wherever. Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge was one of them, and after a few decades, I got around to reading it. Truth? My father was right, it is fabulous. And so it was with high hopes that I approached The Painted Veil, and my hopes were exceeded, and then some.

Quick plot outline: Set in 1920s in England, Hong Kong and the Chinese countryside, young “society” woman marries a quiet doctor out of convenience, wife cheats on doctor with a charming, married scoundrel, doctor discovers affair and whisks wife away to China to be by his side as works in the midst of cholera epidemic. Once there, shorn of social and material distractions, the doctor’s wife begins to realize things about herself and her husband she most likely would not have otherwise. Although written in 1925, the observations Maugham brings to the reader as his characters grow (or don’t grow) are timeless; he has much to say about the nature of lust versus love, and finding peace in one's soul. Plus, the story is an economical page-turner.

For an alternate, yet equally profound ending, check out the cinematically gorgeous film by the same name. Naomi Watts and Edward Norton give poignant performances as ill-fated spouses Kitty and Walter, and though different than the book, you won’t feel cheated. See our catalog to locate or place a hold on the book and/or the film.

--Christina

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8/19/13

A story of human sorrow and joy set in war-devastated Chechnya

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
By Anthony Marra

There are certain books which demand a period of respectful reflection and absorption following their conclusions. Anthony Marra’s debut novel is one of these books. The novel is set in Chechnya, a country about which many Americans have little knowledge. What this book does so wonderfully is capture the history of the Chechen Wars in an intimate, human way. An eight-year-old girl named Havaa watches Russian Federal soldiers take her father and set fire to her home. Akhmed, the girl’s neighbor, risks his own life to ensure her safety. Terrible and wonderful coincidences tie the book’s cast of characters together. While the novel is filled with aching tragedy, it also contains moments of “spinning joy”.

What first dragged me into this book was the author’s use of language. Marra never says anything in an ordinary way. Poetic without pretension, the author’s style lends this amazing story a bit of magic. Just as important, Marra’s luminescent language does not distract from the plot, which is complex and engaging. I found myself taking my time and savoring the first 300 or so pages of this book until the denouement when I began frantically flipping pages to learn the fates of the characters I’d come to know.

If you enjoy the work of Jonathan Safran Foer, Nicole Krauss or Khaled Hosseini, you’ll love this book. Click here to locate or place it on hold today. 

--Chelsea

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August 12, 2013

A time travel tale that transcends Children's Lit label

When You Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead

My 6th grade self would have loved this book, a 2009 Newbery medalist. In it, 12-year old Miranda copes with the loss of a friendship while also finding out that time travel is possible. An homage to and interrogation of Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, this novel has a more sustained and complicated understanding of time travel which it uses to create a mystery in an otherwise nostalgic look at 1970s Manhattan.

Despite its eminent readability, it’s a smart book that can easily take several readings. I appreciate that Miranda is a flawed human who is not always self-aware and who has some difficulty grasping concepts with which I, as a reader, also struggled. If you’ve already read it, try Stead’s more recent novel, Liar and Spy (2012) or Holly Black’s Doll Bones (2013). If you, like me, are not in its target demographic, you might enjoy the movie Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) for its similarly quirky, at times bittersweet, take on time travel.

-Dorrie

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August 5, 2013

An engrossing addition to the canon of immigrant literature

Americanah
By Chimanda Ngozi Adichie

If you liked Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake or Ha Jin’s A Free Life, you will probably enjoy following the separate but equally circuitous journeys of high school sweethearts Ifemelu and Obinze chronicled in Americanah. Told in a highly readable narrative, the two lovers seek to escape political and cultural obstacles blocking their path to economic success in their native Nigeria by emigrating to the United States and England, respectively. A love story spread out over a decade or two, award-wInning author Adichie does an admirable job of drawing the reader in through recognizable descriptions of modern life, such as Facebook, email and texting behavior.

As well as presenting a captivating story, Americanah has a lot to say about racism in this country, and a few others. For the majority of the novel, Adichie uses Ifemelu to move the plot forward via her perspective (first as a “non-American black person”, and then later as an “americanah”, a person who returns home after living abroad), as she eventually makes her living as a blogger. It is her observations about race relations in the United States, hairstyles, dating, and life in Nigeria, “a country with no race”, that provide this work’s heft.

Overall, a thought-provoking read conveyed through straightforward language, pitch-perfect dialogue, and an epic tale that is believable. To find out for yourself, click here.

-Christina

WPL Main Library Free Computer Classes, Fall 2013

———–—— Level 1 ——————

Computer Basics (4 Sessions)
Fridays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. 3rd Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: For anyone who has no computer skills. Familiarize yourself with the computer. Gain mouse and keyboarding skills. Learn how to use the Internet. Register at the 2nd Floor Reference Desk or call us at 508-799-1655 x3.

               *****

Internet for Beginners (4 Sessions)
Fridays, 10:30-11:30 a.m. 3rd Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: For people who have taken the Computer Basics class or have basic computer skills.
 
Instruction on how to surf the Internet effectively, use Google, and access your library account online. Also, view recommended websites, learn to navigate online databases, and retrieve full-text documents. Register at the 2nd Floor Reference Desk or call us at 508-799-1655 x3.

——————–——–————  Level 2  ——————————–———

Microsoft Word for Beginners (4 Sessions)
Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. 3rd Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: Students, Adult Learners

Learn how to create and edit documents, format text, proofread, upload documents to email, and add tables and graphics. Pre-requisite: You must have an established email account or should have taken both the level 1 classes. Register at the 2nd Floor Reference Desk or call us at 508-799-1655 x3.

—————–——–————–— Level 3  ——————————–———

New!  Open Lab with Staff Assistance (Drop-in)

Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. 3rd Floor, Computer Lab
Audience: Students, Job Seekers and Adult Learners with basic computer skills

This drop-in open lab is designed for people 

· Who need extra computer time to work on job applications or Microsoft Word documents

· Who need assistance with setting up a library account or a free email account, or downloading library eBooks and eAudiobooks to Tablets, eReaders and Smartphones

                                                                
                                                                 *****

College Admission Essays, Resume, Job Applications, Research Help
Wednesdays, 5:30-8:30 p.m. 2nd Floor Reference Desk
Audience: Students, Job Seekers, Adult Learners

Assistance with writing resumes and cover letters, finding information on a topic, editing, content organization and citations. Register for one hour session on the library's Events Calendar or call 508-799-1655 x3.

 For more information, call 508-799-1655 x3 or email pchen@worcpublib.org Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Sq. Worcester MA 01608, revised on 8/22/13

July 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

July 29, 2013

First published in the 1960s, this collection illustrates the national mood of the day, while also reaching forward and backwards with ringing, timeless truths.

Slouching Towards Bethlehem
By Joan Didion

I read this book on the recommendation of a reading list for people in their twenties. The idea, presumably, being that members of this demographic have gained more maturity and insight since their high school days while still possessing a certain openness to new things. I’m not so sure I agree with that entire premise, and I’m sure many lifetime readers and freethinkers would take umbrage with it. Regardless, the list is a good one, including several authors whose work I’ve never read. 

This is what the list’s composer has to say about Didion’s work: “The Bible for anyone who’s fancied themselves a writer, ever. Didion has probably said what you wanted to say, and earlier and better.” I don’t disagree. Slouching Towards Bethlehem takes its name from the famous poem by W.B. Yeats, which opens, “Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer; / Things fall apart; the center cannot hold.” Indeed, the theme of atomization, of deterioration of old ideals and ways of life, pervades the essays which make up this collection. 

Didion’s writing illuminates the transformation of America from the golden cowboy days of John Wayne, “...the last private man, the dream we no longer admit,” to the innocent, doomed society of the Haight-Ashbury district. Her writing is transcendent while remaining intimately personal. She is a person who connects with the places she’s lived and the people she’s met.

Read this book at home on the front porch, in a coffee shop or on the bus. Read it in pieces, stop and think about it; this isn’t a book to ingest all at once. Each day you’ll come to it with a different feeling. If you’re a fiction person who doesn’t frequently venture into the realm of non-fiction, give this gorgeous book a try.

To locate this book in the library or place a hold, click here.

-Chelsea

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July 22, 2013

Novel Captures Best and Worst of Life on Reservation

The Round House
By Louise Erdrich

Winner of the 2012 National Book Award, Louise Erdrich’s latest addresses the subject of rape in a tragic narrative starting with a near-fatal attack on social worker Geraldine, wife of local judge and resident Atticus Finch, and mother of the book’s heart, 13-year-old Joe. The ensuing legal and moral quagmire faced by the victim and those trying to exact justice on her behalf is a unfortunate reflection of true state of affairs for Native Americans in this country, as the story is culled from a mélange of real-life cases.

However, the familial ties of 1980s small town life on the North Dakotan Obijwe reservation shine through the dark plot. What is lovely about the story is the closeness of the community that can only stem from families living together for many generations. Particularly touching was the friendship of Joe and his three buds, as they roam and get into trouble typical of teenagers, while facing the very grown-up task of helping Joe deal with the pain of watching his mother suffer long after the crime has been committed.

Warning: This book will break your heart, and not just once. Several dynamics develop in which your heart wrenches just a little bit, more and more, until a major climactic CRACK occurs. You’re probably thinking, “Why would I ever want to read this?!” Well, maybe the risk of heartbreak is the price of entering a world of relatable characters, and while not Erdrich’s very best work, even her second best is pretty good.

Recommended for those interested in Native American culture and customs, and a story with emotional depth. To locate this book in the library or place a hold, click here.

-Christina

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July 22, 2013

The life of a nobody is changed forever with the arrival of mysterious messages

I Am the Messenger
By Marcus Zusak

With moments of both hilarity and deep poignancy, this novel is one that will stay with me. Ed Kennedy lives in an unnamed suburb in Australia. He’s an underage and underachieving cab driver whose life consists of card games with his three best friends and a deep companionship with his dog, The Doorman. Ed’s way of life changes when he starts receiving mysterious messages scrawled onto playing cards. The first card contains three addresses; at each address Ed encounters a situation which compels him to intervene. Who is sending him on these errands and what will the next card bring?

This book is one to devour and savor all at once. The suspense will propel you through while the poetic language and memorable characters will have you stopping to drink it in. Zusak does more than bring his characters to life, he creates a whole community, one that is believable and familiar. Matter-of-fact descriptions of everyday poverty, Ed’s tumultuous arguments with his mother, and the quirky dynamics of complicated friendships make this an immersive reading experience. On top of all this is a fine layer of snark to keep things interesting. 

Though technically Young Adult material, I Am the Messenger transcends that classification to appeal to adult readers as well. This is a perfect title to bring along on your beach trip.To locate this book in the library or place a hold, click here.

-Chelsea

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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Two supernatural beings struggle with their place 
in human society

The Golem and the Jinni
By Helene Wicker

  “‘…perhaps the humans did create their God. But does that make him less real? Take this arch. They created it. Now it exists.’ 
‘Yes, but it doesn’t grant wishes,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t do anything.’ 
‘True,’ she said. ‘But I look at it, and I feel a certain way. Maybe that’s its purpose.’” 

Helene Wecker’s debut novel is a captivating and fantastical tale of two supernatural beings arriving under mysterious circumstances in 1899 New York City. Chava is a golem, a woman made of clay, created by a hermetic practitioner of Kabbalistic magic. After her master dies during their voyage to America, Chava is without guidance and must discover her own nature for herself. Ahmad is a jinni, a god-like creature of fire many hundreds of years old, who was trapped in a flask by an ancient Bedouin magician. He is released from his prison by a tinsmith; however, he remains trapped in human form. Ahmad wrestles with his identity—can he still call himself a jinni while he remains in a human body? 

For me, the heart of this novel is the struggle and doubt faced by its two titular characters. It was as Chava and Ahmad stood below the arch in Washington Square Park contemplating the existence of God that I realized I was holding an important, exquisite book. Wecker writes in simple yet powerful prose and has a command of both Jewish and Arabic mythology which lends the story its verisimilitude and allows the reader to suspend disbelief. 

You can read this book for its adventure and mystery or you can delve deeper and analyze the basic human questions that it raises. Either way, you’re in for a unique and enjoyable reading experience. 

To locate this book in the library or place a hold, click here.
-Chelsea

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Thursday, July 4, 2016

Short Stories Make Great Beach Reading

Vampires in the Lemon Grove  
By Karen Russell

If you love fiction but never read short stories, considering a break with tradition for Karen Russell’s latest work, a vibrant assembly of tales that plumb the depths of imagination while retaining a very human sensibility. Nothing too sci-fi, or predictable, here.

Skeptical? Try any of the following three stories: “Reeling for the Empire”, an Asian-flavored allegory about the psychological metamorphosis suffered by workers forced into the sex trade as they spin out “product”; “The New Veterans”, a timely tale of the impact of war on soldiers returned home from Afghanistan bearing both visible and invisible scars, and on those who care for them; or, the title story, a hard-bitten romance about the inevitable conflict inherent in the dueling appetites of commitment to true love and animal hunger.

This collection is the follow-up to Russell’s widely acclaimed debut novel, the Pulitzer Prize-nominee Swamplandia!, and only her third major publication. Definitely a writer to watch!

To locate this book in the library or place a hold, click here.

-Christina

Prices for Antiques Database

Prices for Antiques Reference database (P4A) is an easy to search online resource to find information about collectibles, antiques and fine art. P4A database is a quick way to find answers to questions such as – what is it and how much an item is worth.You can find information on various types of materials including furniture, china, glassware, dolls, paintings, brass, silver, iron and artwork. 

Updated daily, each record contains an image, a description, the sale price, date of sale and auction house name and contact information. The database also provides little background information about an item if available. A convenient list of recent and forthcoming auctions is available to any enthusiast who might want to visit an auction nearby.

To access the database:

• Go to the library's homepage 
• Click on online databases
• Choose arts and antiques and then Prices for Antiques
• Click on the "house"  icon if you are accessing from home or the "library" icon if you are using it from within the library 
• To begin your search, type in either a keyword, category or type of the item you are looking for

Need to get a library card so you can access this and other databases we offer? Click here to get one. 

If you have any questions, please ask a librarian at http://www.worcpublib.org/services/asklibrarian.htm or feel free to call us at 508-799-1655, ext. 3. 

Book Club: Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears

July's book selection

Last week the WPL Adult Book Club met to discuss our most recent reading selection, Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. This short story collection features reinterpretations of classic fairy tales. The stories which we chose to discuss raised fascinating questions and observations on human psychology, abusive relationships, and our own childhood experiences of fairy tales. For some, this book is a departure from typical reading preferences with its focus on fantasy writing. The departure is worth some discomfort for the eloquent and tantalizing writing featured throughout.

August's book selection

 Next month the book club will begin meeting at a new time. We encourage you to join us on August 20th at 6pm to discuss select short stories from Alice Munro’s collection, Dear Life. Munro has won the Man Booker International Prize for the excellence of the body of work she has produced in her lifetime. This will be my first experience with her writing and I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy so I can dive in. There is something elusively exciting about reading an acclaimed author for the first time. I hope we can share this experience together.

To find out more about the WPL Adult Book Club check out our Pinterest board or get in touch with us on the WPL Facebook page.