Technology Classes at WPL - Winter 2013-2014

WPL Main Library Free Computer Classes   

       

———–—— 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.

New!  Facebook for Beginners

Saturdays, December 7, January 18, or February 15,1-2:30 p.m., 3rd Floor, Computer Lab

Audience: For people who have taken the Computer Basics class or have basic computer skills. Explore the uses of Facebook, set up account, find “friends”, and understand privacy settings.

Pre-requisite: You must have an established email account and basic computer and internet skills

Register on the Events Calendar on the library’s website or call 508-799-1655 ext. 3.

 ———————–——–————–— 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
Drop-in lab designed for people who need extra computer time to work on job applications, Microsoft word documents, or those who need assistance setting up a library account, email, downloading ebooks or audiobooks. No registration required.

New! Drop-In eBook Help

Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., 1st Floor Welcome Desk

Audience: Anyone interested in downloading ebooks to their personal computer or devices

Drop by the first floor desk to ask questions and get help downloading eBooks to your eReader or Smartphone. Please bring your device! No registration required.

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 on the Events Calendar on the library’s website or call 508-799-1655 ext. 3.

December in the Teen Room

Come check out the Teen Room and all that it has to offer this winter! We have lots of new books, magazines, movies and video games to check out and enjoy during school vacation week, as well as some great programs to keep you entertained!

December 6th at 3pm will be the last Learn to Draw Manga class for the fall session. All teens can come to this free drawing class taught by WAM artists Andy Fish and Jamie Buckmaster. The spring session will begin on January 31st, so stay tuned!

Teens are also encouraged to come to the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) meeting on December 10th at 4pm. The TAG talks about ways to make improvements in the Teen Room, expand upon the resources available to teens, create better programs for teens, and ensure that the library is welcoming place for all Worcester teenagers - and of course eats pizza and snacks!

To celebrate the winter holidays we will be making gingerbread houses at the monthly Crafternoon on Friday December 13th at 4pm. All teens are welcome to come to this free program - all materials are provided!

We hope to see you in the Teen Room this holiday season!

December in the Children's Room

We are so pleased to announce the winners of this year’s tabletop scarecrow contest! Star Witch by Ariana made a full sweep, winning favorite, scariest, and most creative, as well as most original, most frightful, and best details. Others made great showings in the polls, particularly Zobiella/Angel by Allison and Pam Pumpkin by Jade. Please come by the children’s room to pick up your scarecrows and prizes! Every participant gets something!

With holidays and vacations aplenty in December, we have many other reasons to stop in. Thanks to the Friends of WPL, we have the ever-popular Tanglewood Marionettes returning on December 30th with their production of Sleeping Beauty. Be sure to pick up your tickets for either the 1 pm or 3 pm show; they will be available starting on December 16.

What else is going on? Glad you asked! Our final manga workshop of the year will be on December 6. Come hone your drawing skills with comic artist Jamie Buckmaster. We’re reading Carl Hiaasen’s hilarious book Chomp for the M.C.B.A. book club, which will meet on December 11. Due to popular demand, Tuesday Baby Times will continue into December. For older kids (ages 3-5) we have PJ storytime on December 17, and for even older kids we are so pleased that professional storyteller Laura Partridge will lead children ages 5-9 in African Story-Acting on December 7. We also have our annual gingerbread workshop, a royal tea party for princess (and prince!) fans, baby massage and yoga, icky sticky, movies, legos, videogames, and more. Keep an eye on the calendar and on Facebook for more information about upcoming events, or call the children’s room at 508-799-1671.

Thinking of knittin’ some mittens? Cast on with WPL’s Knitting Circle!

Do you love knitting or want to learn? Worcester Public Library now offers knitting programs!
Knitters of all skill levels and other needlecraft enthusiasts are welcome to join us.  All participants must bring their own supplies. If you would like to learn how to knit please bring size 7 or 8 knitting needles and a skein of worsted weight yarn. Our next program will be held on Thursdays, from 12-1:30 pm in the 3rd floor Ellipse, starting December 5 (but not December 26). In addition, we will also offer knitting programs from 3-4 pm on January 2, 2014 and February 6, 2014 in the Banx Room.


If you cannot wait until our next program, there are many resources that may be of use to a knitter. 

To start you off, here’s the link to books about knitting in our library catalog. They most likely will be found on the 3^rd floor, especially in the 746.432 section. A selection of potentially helpful titles may be found below.

Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook  by Debbie Stoller 

Don’t let the title dissuade you- it’s a very handy reference. In fact, this is the first book I purchased for my own personal knitting collection.

200 Knitting Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets by Betty Barnden
Full of useful tips and photographs

When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters by Marion Edmonds and Ahza Moore 
How to fix knitting errors such as dropping stitches

 Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne
Folksy but fun and useful

The New Encyclopedia of Knitting Techniques: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Techniques by Lesley Stanfield and Melody Griffiths 
Glossy photographs of every stitch pattern you can imagine

We also have knitting themed magazines on the 3^rd floor in the periodicals department that you are allowed to borrow.

Knit Simple

Interweave Knits
Vogue Knitting

There are many online resources for patterns and other communicating with fellow knitters

Knitty – online magazine featuring free patterns
Ravelry- free community site and pattern database but registration is required
Knitting Pattern Central – directory with links to patterns of all kinds


Free patterns from yarn companies
Note: these links do not serve as an endorsement for the yarn companies
Yarnspirations
Lion Brand
KnitPicks

Enjoy your knitting project and I hope to see you at our programs!

November 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

November 25, 2013

Masterpieces of American Modernism: from the Vilcek Collection
By William C. Agee and Lewis Kachur, with contributions from Rick Kinsel and Emily Schuchardt Navratil

Masterpieces of American Modernism: from the Vilcek Collection is an important introduction to the stunning personal collection of Jan and Marica Vilcek, Czechoslovakian immigrants, and to the chronology of Modernism as a movement in American art history. Rick Kinsel, Executive Director of the Vilcek Foundation, provides an important introduction to the Vilceks, their immigration experience, and a history of how they started collecting works of American art. William Agee’s written contribution is an intellectually interesting analysis of the many paintings, painters, and the Modernist movement itself which he hopes will “…defuse the ‘Big Bang’ theory of American art: that it was born only after 1945, with no earlier history.”

Major artists are well represented in this book – Marsden Hartley, Max Weber, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Arthur Dove. The book contains an informative multi-page print and photographic timeline, which greatly helps put in perspective the context of the movement, as well as a complete section of artist biographies and photographs by Emily Schuchardt Navratil. The book is also well indexed. Many other artists important to the Modernist movement are included in the book, which contains beautiful color reproductions of the artworks and is very sturdily bound. This book is essential to understanding the holistic aspects of the Modernist movement in this country. The written contributions are educational and challenging and the book itself provides a key connection between the history of American art and the Modernist movement in American art.

One of the nicest things about this book is setting aside time to browse through all the fantastic art and, at your own pace, absorbing all the wonders it has to offer.

--Bill

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November 18, 2013

Blackhorse Riders: A Desperate Last Stand, an Extraordinary Rescue Mission, and the Vietnam Battle America Forgot
By Phil Keith

Phil Keith's Blackhorse Riders is a powerful account of bravery and courage in one of the most controversial years of the Vietnam War. It is an account of soldiers from the Blackhorse Regiment rescuing an entrapped infantry unit in a harrowing fight centered around March 26, 1970. The story of this "rescue" is the story of very ordinary Americans rising to levels of extraordinary heroism, bravery, and self sacrifice.

As a Vietnam combat veteran, I can attest to the detailed level of Keith's writing. The descriptions of the jungle, fighting, night marching, exhaustion, fear, anger, physical pain, and hope are all very real. It is a story that is truly worth telling to the point that Captain John Poindexter, the leader of the rescue and Alpha Troop, spent decades fighting for recognition of his men. On October 30, 2009, President Obama awarded Alpha Troop with a Presidential Unit Citation, the highest combat award that can be bestowed on a military unit.

A strong point to Mr. Keith’s narrative is the attention given to this ceremony and to the details given about the participating soldiers lives since the battle. These individual stories complete a cycle begun in 1970 and add a rich human dimension to the story. Additionally, the book contains an eloquent forward by General George Casey Jr., an epilogue, acknowledgments, appendices, a glossary, and a detailed index. Mr. Keith, himself a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, has provided a gripping account of his fellow brothers-in-arms bravery, heroism, and dedication in a very tough situation in an unpopular war.

For those who fought there the story resonates with validity; for those who did not the story will bring you there.

--Bill

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November 12, 2013

Kvothe: Arcanist, hero, murderer, villain. The rumors about him are many and varied. In The Name of the Wind, the man himself puts the story straight.

The Name of the Wind
By Patrick Rothfuss

Having recently staggered away from George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series and feeling lost with the next book’s publication date only a hazy shape on the horizon, I found myself yearning for more epic fantasy. Being the savvy information professional that I am, I quickly took to Google with the sophisticated search string “what to read after Dance with Dragons.” It wasn’t luck that brought me to Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles; it was pure skill. A helpful IO9 article featuring a list of read-alikes for Martin’s series is where I first heard about The Name of the Wind and Kvothe (pronounced like “quothe”).

Rothfuss’s novel is about power. Kvothe spends much of the early chapters in poverty, barely surviving on the streets of a strange city. He harbors within him a flame of rage and a desire for revenge against those who destroyed his community. Kvothe uses whatever means necessary to escape destitution and enter the University, a center of learning where men and women acquire arcane knowledge including sympathy, a form of magic. One of the youngest students ever admitted, Kvothe quickly rises through the ranks, making enemies on his way.

Using a confessionary form, the plot is unraveled as the protagonist recounts his life story to a scribe. This creates an intimacy between the reader and Kvothe and also keeps us hungering for revelations. The reader knows from the beginning that Kvothe has become a legendary and feared figure. Some cataclysmic event has changed the world and cast Kvothe into a dark role. Unfortunately, the first book in the series does not tell the whole story. To find out how Kvothe fell from grace and eventually left the University we must continue on to the sequel.

Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.

--Chelsea

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November 4, 2013

Attention mystery readers: new noir fiction by Worcester native

No Regrets, Coyote
By John Dufresne

If you are a lover of detective fiction, give No Regrets, Coyote by Worcester native John Dufresne a try. It contains everything you could desire in a modern mystery novel: suspense, intrigue, gory details, cleverness, and humor. Or, mix the curiosity and intellect of Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware, the wit and heart of Robert Parker’s Spenser, and Carl Hiassen’s South Florida setting, and then add Dufresne’s signature compassion and a bit of wordplay, and you’ve got a new book on your Must Read list.

The crime: an entire family is shot to death by the father, or so it would seem. Enter Wylie “Coyote” Melville, psychotherapist and forensic consultant to the local police, who isn’t buying the crime scene at face value. The reader also gets to meet Coyote’s family and friends, whose eccentricities could fill a chapter of the DSM-5. A fun read that will keep the pages turning effortlessly.

And if you've never read Dufresne's novels, check out Requiem, Mass. (Worcesterites will recognize the neighborhood) or Love Warps the Mind a Little. You won’t be disappointed!

-Christina

Which E-Reader is Right for You?

The holiday season is upon us! Are you thinking of buying an e-reader / tablet for yourself or as a gift? There are so many to choose from, all with different sizes, features, and operating systems. To keep this straight, we've made a handy chart. We included which free digital downloads you can use with each. Comment or contact us with any questions!

Please click here to view chart. or copy this link into your browser: http://goo.gl/b7g0TZ

Want to share your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?

Do you have a favorite online recipe you would like to share with us this Thanksgiving? How about pinning it on the Worcester Public Library’s Pinterest board? Just in time for Thanksgiving menu planning! We will post your online recipes into our “Recipes: Thanksgivng” board so others may use your beloved recipe at their Thanksgiving table!

• Go to the library’s Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/worcesterpl/ and follow the board called Recipes: Thanksgiving. Follow directions to log in to your own Pinterest account. Create an account at this point if you do not have one yet!
• We will then send you an invite to join the board.
• Click on “Accept” on the top right of your Pinterest page. This will allow you to pin images.
•  Please fill in a 1-2 line description of the recipe in the “Description” box.
• Click on “pin it”.
• Click on the pencil icon on the top right of the image, and paste the hyperlink for the website under “Source” so others may find this recipe online.
• Click on “save changes” to close.
  
  Your favorite recipe is now available for everyone to see! Check it out.... You might find a tasty recipe to try at your table this Thanksgiving!

Children's Room at WPL

What does the children’s room have for you? Well, we try to have something for everyone ages 12 and under -- books, movies, music, and programs. This month, let’s put the spotlight on programs for older children. If you (or your child) is between the ages of 8 and 12, be sure to read on!

Learn to Draw Manga Workshops: Are you an artist? Would you like to be? Join instructor and artist Jamie Buckmaster for our series of workshops on comic art techniques. He teaches how to draw figures, develop characters, and create narratives. If you love the Japanese manga form, this class is perfect for you, but it’s also a great opportunity for anyone who wants to hone their drawing skills. Thanks to the Friends of WPL, this is FREE! Save hundreds of dollars and learn to draw! Next meetings: 11/15 and 12/6. Banx Room. 4pm-5pm.

M.C.B.A. Book Club: If you are in 4^th, 5^th, or 6^th grade, you can help choose the winner of next year’s Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. Based on nominations from around the state, a list of 25 books has been compiled by people at Salem State University. All have been published in the last five years and are now available in paperback. All you need to do is read five of them, and then you can vote in the library in March 2014. We also have a book club, and we’d love to have you join us! We meet the second Wednesday of every month from 6:30 – 7:30 in the Children’s Program Room. Register and pick up your books at the children’s room desk!

Level Up: Kids’ Videogaming: We’ve recently added videogames to our collection, but we hate to see them all leave the library! Join us every Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30 for an hour of games on the big screen. If you don’t have your own gaming system, this is a great chance to play. Even if you do, this is a great chance to meet up with friends. Parents, don’t worry – we stick to games rated E for everyone.

We also have other great programs, so keep an eye on our calendar (http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=WPL&curKey1=Children%27s%20Events&setRef=new_) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/worcesterpubliclibrary). We hope to see you soon!

The Teen Room at WPL

The Teen Room is a space at the library just for teenagers ages 13-18 that has lots of wonderful teen books, movies, video games, magazines and more, as well as a variety of programs geared towards teens of many different backgrounds and interests. All teens are encouraged to come check out the teen room and participate in one of our programs, all of which are free and open to all – no registration required. Some of our current programs are:

Spilled Ink: a Teen Readers and Writers Club that meets monthly and can help you to improve your skills as a writer.

Learn to Draw Manga Program, led by graphic artists Andy Fish and Jamie Buckmaster that will teach you how to draw in the comic form.

Crafternoons: a fun, teen led craft program that happens once per month.

Level Up: a video gaming club held every Wednesday from 4:30-6pm.

Teen Advisory Group, which meets on the 2^nd Tuesday of every month to help assist the Teen Librarian in improving teen services.

The Teen Librarian also works with a group of teenagers to produce a magazine: Turtle Soup. The magazine features stories, poems, art, photography, book reviews and more from Worcester teens, and gets published monthly – you can pick up a copy in the Teen Room today! Any creative, talented, or expressive teens who are interested in getting involved in the magazine can contact Samantha at sbodine@worcpublib.org or 508-799-1671.

WPL Roosevelt Branch Grand Opening One City, One Library Project

City and school officials, community leaders, library patrons, students, teachers, and parents gathered at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 30th to mark the opening of the Worcester Public Library - Roosevelt Branch. The new public branch library is the first of four to open as part of the One City, One Library pilot project. One City, One Library is a public/private partnership dedicated to improving literacy city-wide and expanding access to convenient, neighborhood-based library services.

Equipped with over 4,500 children's books, new computers, early literacy stations, iPads, e-readers, and other digital media, the Roosevelt Branch will provide students, teachers, parents and the community with access to the global inventory system of the Worcester Public Library, which includes more than one million items in all mediums and for all reading levels. The collections will be children-focused; however, patrons will be able to reserve materials for pick-up and return at the branch location. In addition to grade-level reading materials, the new library will house a parenting center and a health information center, and will offer a myriad of programming for adults and children.

The Worcester Public Library - Roosevelt Branch was made possible thanks to funding by the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the City of Worcester. Oversight and project management was provided pro bono by Cardinal Construction, Inc. Other organizations that provided in-kind support include: Coghlin Electrical Contractors, Inc., Knight Security, Inc., Nal's Paint Center, Fine Painting, Sunshine Signs, Rotmans, College of the Holy Cross, Hanover Insurance Group, and United Way. The Worcester Public Library Foundation led the construction and fund-raising effort with a goal of $2 million for the entire One City, One Library initiative, which also includes a mobile library dedicated to servicing the remaining elementary schools. To date, $1.2 million has been raised.

   

The Roosevelt Branch will be open Monday through Friday during school hours for students and teachers, and will be open to the public from 3:00 - 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. For more information, patrons can call 508-799-8327.

We look forward to opening our next branch at Tatnuck Magnet Elementary in Worcester on November 20. 

50th Anniversary of JFK's Assassination

November 22, 2013 is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, TX. The events of that day resonated across the world, and many Americans remember it as a defining moment in our country. While it was highly visible, occurring during a public parade, there are many different opinions of what actually occurred. Hundreds of authors have published books on the subject over the years, especially this past year leading up to its 50th anniversary.

We have created a book list of recommended titles on JFK, including histories of the family, his politics, the assassination itself, and popular conspiracy theories. Most titles are suitable for beginners on the subject, and one, Kennedy Assassination by David Robson, is for young adults. The list is live in our catalog, which means you can see up-to-the-minute information about available copies. For help placing a hold, stop by the library or call us at 508-799-1655.

Click here to see the list, or copy and paste the following URL into your browser: https://bark.cwmars.org/eg/opac/results?bookbag=24928;page=0;locg=143;depth=0

Did we miss your favorite book about JFK? Leave a comment!

October 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

October 19, 2013

The Haunting of Hill House
By Shirley Jackson

“Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”

So begins one of the greatest haunted house stories ever told. The WPL Adult Book Club chose Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House as our October read because this disturbing story is perfect for Halloween. Dr. Montague contacts three individuals and invites them to stay in Hill House in order to observe its “psychic phenomenon” for an upcoming book. Two of the invitees, Theodora and Eleanor, have histories of paranormal experiences while the third, Luke, stands to inherit Hill House from his aunt. The fifth character in this book is the house itself. Hill House, with its ethereal moans, cold spots, and swinging doors, comes to life on the page.

Compared to the current offerings of the horror genre, Hill House may seem rather tame for modern readers. Movies like Saw, Paranormal Activity and the proliferation of ghost hunting shows have desensitized us to the simple horrors of slamming doors and drafts of wind that seem to carry voices. But if you find yourself alone late at night and you read the words, “Nothing in this house moves…until you look away…”, you may feel a clammy sweat filming over your palms and experience a kind of paralysis that comes with extreme fear. Jackson masterfully captures the simple, primal fear that a creepy old house can inspire. This scary story is a thoroughly readable and timely pick for your fall reading.

Join us next month to discuss Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried on November 19th at 6pm.

--Chelsea

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October 7, 2013

The quiet turbulent lives of Japanese picture brides

The Buddha in the Attic
By Julie Otsuka

“Many picture brides, misled by visions of wealth and photographs of younger versions of their new husbands, were sorely disappointed upon arrival in the United States. Unprepared for the back-breaking labor, the primitive living conditions, and the cultural adjustments, some deserted their husbands and ran away with lovers. Most, however, stayed and made the best of the situation, working alongside their husbands in the fields or in small businesses while helping to establish family life in their new country.”--The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History

Between 1910 and 1920, approximately 20,000 Japanese women unwittingly joined the migrant labor force, mostly on plantations and farms in Hawaii and California. A novel, The Buddha in the Attic reads like a compilation of their true life stories distilled into a 129-page prose poem. Divided into eight sections, the life events of the picture brides are depicted: the ship passage to America, their wedding nights, encountering racism for the first time, giving birth, raising children, living as objects of post-Pearl Harbor suspicion, internment, and finally, the resultant “disappearance” of what remained of their Japanese lives in the homeland of their American-born children. 

Avoiding sentimentality, Otsuka uses crisp sentences, juxtaposing one woman’s experience next to another's, sentence after sentence, successfully evoking a jarring feeling that one imagines the young hopeful brides endured themselves. Layer by layer, it is demonstrated to the reader how little one controls one’s destiny, particularly when born female in certain times and places throughout history. A quick read, but worth checking out; locate or place it on hold here.

--Christina

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We Introduce Our New Logo and Tagline

                   
                  This video is created by Electronic Resources and Instruction Team of WPL

September 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

September 30, 2013

Finishing what Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood started: the final installment of Atwood’s futuristic fiction trilogy

Maddaddam
By Margaret Atwood

Let me begin by saying I do not feel qualified to review this book as it is so magnificent, but somebody has to, so here goes…

I cannot overstate the genius of Margaret Atwood. There isn’t anything she doesn’t do well, whether it’s plot, dialogue, or character development, not to mention her mastery of multiple genres of fiction, all packed into one book! There’s the science fiction narrative in which humankind has finally outsmarted itself and been wiped out, save the few that were either too evil to die, uber-prepared or bred to be nearly indestructible. The survivors face obstacles in the form of unnaturally occurring animal hybrids, bio-tech gone awry, and each other. How will the survivors commune with the race of strange blue beings created by the long-gone messianic Crake?

There’s also romance: the tightrope protagonist Toby walks between maintaining her dignified aloof façade and succumbing to jealous pining for Zeb’s guarded heart keeps the reader pulling for her right to the last page. There’s adventure: every time the foraging band of “Maddaddamites” leaves the safety of their compound, the suspense is palpable: will they make it back this time? Plus humor: Atwood’s wry commentary enhances the story throughout, but none more so than during Toby’s patient nightly chronicles shared with the innocently inquisitive Crakers.

Bold, imaginative storytelling at its best. Click here to behold or place on hold.

--Christina

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September 23, 2013

The life of an Irish-American matriarchy in the housing projects of 1970s Boston

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie
By Michael Patrick MacDonald

This is one of those books I get excited about when a patron requests it because I enjoyed it so much. Written in 1999, the author, the seventh son in a large Irish Catholic family, recounts life in a single-mother household in the notorious Old Colony housing projects of South Boston.  Spanning the '70s and '80s, MacDonald presents his imperfect tribe with love and admiration while sparing no detail. Equal parts Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes and local author Adrian Nicole Leblanc’s Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx, this true story will reel you in, charm you and break your heart. And if you are a Massachusetts native, chances are you will recognize many of the personalities described.

Most impressively, there’s Ma, mother of eleven, who remains generous,full of fun, and the family's spiritual anchor despite being abandoned by her husband and enduring many ensuing tragedies. Then there are sons Davey, who suffers from schizophrenia; Frankie, a up-and-coming boxer, Ma’s favorite, and the one who is supposed to “make it out”; Joe, the neighborhood mechanic and his twin sister Mary who is as tough as any of her brothers; and Kevin, the precocious entrepreneur. The cast is colorful and you will likely find yourself consulting the provided family tree to keep all the kids straight.

Although the author’s mother-worship borders on corny at times, what saves this memoir from being cliche is MacDonald’s ability to convey how the setting and the times impact the trajectory of each child’s life. The racial violence between neighborhoods during the busing crisis, the influence of Whitey Bulger and results of his introduction of the drug trade into the ghetto, and, of course, poverty read like additional characters in the book.

If you’re looking for a captivating biography, consider this. And if you’ve already read it, try Easter Rising, the continuation of the family’s story set in a broader sociological perspective.

--Christina

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September 16, 2013

In a dystopian London, Paige Mahoney’s sixth sense marks her as an outlaw

The Bone Season
By Samantha Shannon

Samantha Shannon’s novel has been compared to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series with hints of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games. After reading this much-hyped debut, I can attest that it does feel like a formulaic blend of traits from teen blockbusters of the last decade. The book is set in a dystopian London in the year 2059. Clairvoyants, or “unnaturals”, are outlaws forced into an underworld of crime. Paige Mahoney, a rare type of clairvoyant, is kidnapped and pressed into slavery by a race of supernatural creatures living outside society. She must learn more about the creatures in order to survive and plan her escape.

The author’s imagination make this book an interesting read. It combines popular story elements such as a strong, moral female protagonist, a dangerous, otherworldly love interest, and lots of magic. Unfortunately, the plot is frequently weighed down by cumbersome invented language and descriptions of the hierarchy of clairvoyant abilities. The author struggles to establish her universe for the reader and it is obvious. The novel alternates between plot and exposition, never settling.

In the end this novel was entertaining, at times quite thrilling, and the series certainly has potential to grow with the author. To see for yourself, place a hold here.

--Chelsea

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September 9, 2013

The history of a town and a family infused with magic and wonder

One Hundred Years of Solitude
By Gabriel Garcia Marquez

As WPL librarian Christina wrote in her review of The Painted Veil, this is a book that was recommended to me many years ago and which I’ve only just now gotten around to reading. Garcia Marquez tells the story of a town and its preeminent family from foundation to ruin. Flashbacks and premonitions reinforce the central theme of the subjectivity of reality and time.

 Jose Arcadio Buendia is the patriarch of a family of extraordinary and doomed individuals. The book opens with his son, Colonel Aureliano Buendia, facing the firing squad and remembering the time his father took him to see the miracle of ice. With such an opening, the novel quickly grabs the reader before plunging us into a miasma of memories, fantasies and many things in between.

This is the perfect title with which to close the season. The sweltering South American setting, as well as the author’s dreamy tone, complement the last heated days of summer. But don’t mistake this one for an easy beach read! You may need a notepad to keep all the characters, relationships and symbols straight, but if you persevere you will find that your careful reading is rewarded.

Click here to locate or place a hold on this title.

--Chelsea

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Overdrive App and iOS7

When an existing OverDrive Media Console (OMC) user upgrades to iOS 7, the app will fail when trying to open a DRM-protected eBook. New or first time users of OMC are unaffected by this issue. We are resolving the issue but in the meantime, here are immediate remedies for users:

  1) Re-authenticate the app with their existing or a new Adobe ID. Read more at http://help.overdrive.com/article/0059/What-to-do-if-a-title-is-not-properly-loading-or-OverDrives-mobile-app-is-crashing

  2) Uninstall and re-install OMC which will also require the user to re-authorize with Adobe. IMPORTANT NOTE: A re-install will clear a user's bookshelf, history, and app settings. Audiobook users won't notice that anything is different unless they attempt to download parts of audiobooks they already downloaded to OMC before upgrading to iOS 7. A user will receive an error message informing them to download the title again.  

OverDrive’s Big Library Read is back!

Our ebook provider, OverDrive has announced the next title for the Big Library Read project! Patrons from around the world can borrow Jane O’ Connor’s “Nancy Clancy: Super Sleuth” in eBook or audiobook form until Sept. 30th without wait lists of holds. This ‘global book club’ allows parents and children to read together and join thousands of users to read the same book at the same time!  

To borrow the title simply log in to the digital catalog page. You’ll see the title on the home page ready to checkout. A valid library card is required.

Jane O’Connor’s Nancy Clancy titles are great for young readers who are learning both how to read and a love of literature. Her use of advanced vocabulary, while explaining what the words mean, helps children grow as readers. Checking out the eBook and audiobook will enable children and parents to listen to the title as they follow along with the text. Big Library Read is also a great way to introduce students and new users to your digital collection as they return to school. 

If you’d like to learn more about Jane O’Connor and her writing you can go to Overdrive’s Facebook chat on Tuesday, Sept 24th at 9 pm (ET). You’ll be able to ask Jane anything you’d like to know about her writing process, where Nancy Clancy came from or what we can expect from her next! You can also join the conversation on Twitter during this event by using the hashtag #BigLibraryRead. 

September is the library card sign-up month!

 

Library card sign-up month - promotional video created by WPL staff