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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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.

June 2013 Book Recommendations by Staff

Thursday, June 27, 2013

A woman on the verge, a writer in command

The Flamethrowers
By Rachel Kushner

I lovvved this book! Why? So many reasons. There’s the protagonist, Reno. If you’ve ever been in love in vain, found yourself ensconced in a much more glamorous and foreign place than where you’re from, or simply in over your head, you will recognize her. As the observer and conscience of the plot, her naivete is heartbreaking but her insights are spot on.

Speaking of plot, you can read this book just for the story, which is reason enough; Kushner is encyclopedic in tackling subjects are diverse as the political climate of 1970s Italy, the history of motorcycle making, land speed records, the dynamics of the New York art world. Or, you can savor it for the abundant layers of symbolism spilling out from the many stories within stories her entertaining characters provide.

As WPL’s Joy Hennig defined, “Literary fiction is when the prose is so good you want to raise blocks of text out of the story and study them independently.” This work of literary fiction is brimming over with gorgeous language, both precise and lush, and universal truths about human identity,” the uselessness of truth”, the sometimes blurry distinction between creating art and creating a life, and what attracts one soul to another. This is one of those books that will leave you with questions, but won’t leave you even after you’ve read the final pages.

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

-Christina

---

Thursday, June 13, 2013

What would you do if you suddenly couldn't see?
Moonlight Sonata at the Mayo Clinic
By Nora Gallagher

Renowned author and memoirist Nora Gallagher (Things Seen and Unseen, Changing Light) comes down with a confounding set of symptoms: headaches, extreme fatigue, and most troubling of all, disappearing peripheral vision. Unfortunately, visiting a whole bevy of doctors does nothing to alleviate her symptoms or illuminate their cause…at first.

Thus begins Gallagher‘s thoughtful chronicle of a year of “being a patient”, which includes so much more than enduring physical symptoms: uncertainty, fear, anxiety of becoming a burden to caregivers, frustration at navigating the labyrinth that is the American healthcare system. Gallagher’s prose rings true when describing the feeling of otherness that descends as soon as mortality become one’s main priority: “Then I had an uncanny feeling of being behind a glass wall that had slid down out of the sky and separated me from the rest of the people on the street. “

Her journey spans from her primary care doc in Santa Barbara all the way to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. If this sounds like a depressing read (spoiler alert!), be advised it’s a happy ending: a diagnosis, and the author learning to live joyfully while managing extended illness. If you grapple with the big questions, and enjoy House, give this insightful account a try.

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

-Christina

Online Genealogy Resources for Kids and Teens

Genealogy, the study of one’s family line, is a rewarding and sometimes consuming hobby. The dedicated researchers who commit themselves to this study have a fascination with the past and a desire to feel connected with their ancestors. Most genealogists are middle-aged or older. Creating a family tree for posterity is a noble aspiration, but if new generations fail to continue that research then the tree dies. It’s important to get our kids interested in genealogy, not only for the sake of our own research, but to instill a love of learning and an appreciation for history in children and teens.

This summer Joy Hennig, our Local History and Genealogy Librarian, will be leading two sessions of Genealogy for Kids, a program for children aged 12 and up accompanied by an adult. The program will be held at the Francis Perkins Branch Library on July 12 from 2-3pm and at the Main Branch on July 30th from 2:30-3:30pm.

To expand on these programs we have identified some useful genealogical resources for kids:

Boy Scout Merit Badge in Genealogy
This webpage describes the requirements for the merit badge in genealogy and includes a listing of very helpful web resources to help introduce young people to this study. An invaluable resource for young people first learning about genealogy, regardless of whether or not they are associated with the Boy Scouts.

FamilySearch – Time Lines
FamilySearch, a giant in the genealogical field, provides instructions for creating a timeline for one’s family history.

Family Tree Kids
A great site for kids to learn about genealogy. Includes a family tree download, forms and how-tos.

Pinterest- Genealogy for Kids
This Pinterest board features fun genealogy-themed activities for children.

For more information:
WPL Program Calendar
WPL Local History and Genealogy Resources

Summer's Here! Powerspeak Can Help!

Whether you are traveling to Cancun, or applying for a job, it sure would help to know a bit about another language, right?

Even if it's not for a vacation overseas, one thing about learning a language, is that it is so useful. 

Say you are looking for a job. Think about how many positions would be available to you if you just spoke Spanish.

On the flip side, if you speak Spanish, and learned English as a Second Language, you too would have more opportunity to work. But also, you would be able to access so much more from American culture by learning English!

The library subscribes to the database called Powerspeak. The library has bought it so you don't have to!!!

All you do is sign up with an email and create a password, choose the language you want to learn, and you're in!

You can choose to learn:

• Spanish
• French
• German
• Mandarin, or 
• Inglés (ESL)

Here is the introduction to an exercise in ESL:

The modules are welcoming and easy to try. The interface is interactive and keeps you engaged throughout the entire learning process.

To find this database:

1. Log on to www.worcpublib.org, the WPL website.
2. Click on the link, Online Databases on the left of the screen.
3. Go to BY SUBJECT and scroll down to Language Learning.
4. Click on Powerspeak.
5. One the right there are two icons. One is of a House, and one is of the Library. If you are in the Library, click on that icon. Otherwise, click on the house icon.
6. Sign up, and start learning!

Big Library Read

The library's ebook provider OverDrive, is unveiling the Big Library Read pilot today. This program allows millions of patrons from more than 7,500 participating libraries to simultaneously read Michael Malone’s critically-acclaimed ‘Four Corners of the Sky’ in OverDrive Read, Kindle and EPUB formats. Users from 10 different countries on five different continents join in one of the largest global reading events.

From now until June 1^st, users will be able to log in to their digital library website and check out this wonderful tale about love, secrets and the mysterious bonds only families can form. During this campaign, OverDrive will post discussion questions on their Facebook and Twitter accounts. All are welcome to be part of the dialogue. 

Go to digital catalog to check out your copy now! A valid library card is required.

Celebrate Mother's Day with a Great Book

Mother's Day is coming up, and in addition to taking our moms to brunch or dinner (or being taken out by our own children) it's a good time to explore the joys and complexities of motherhood with an engrossing book. The WPL has books that address all kinds of topics related to motherhood, including adoption, balancing family life and career, being a lesbian mom, growing up American with a mom from a different culture, caring for aging moms, working to get your kid the best education possible, surrogacy, and more.

Here are a few books about motherhood and the experiences of individual moms - experiences that may be unique or that you may recognize from your own life. If any of these books interest you, place a hold in the catalog to reserve it or call the Reference Department at (508)-799-1655 ext. 3.

Fiction

The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan

Little Earthquakes, by Jennifer Weiner

The Ten-Year Nap, by Meg Wolitzer

The Accidental Mother, by Rowan Coleman

Come Home, by Lisa Scottoline

Mothers and Daughters, by Rae Meadows

Night Road, by Kristin Hannah

Nonfiction

The New Don't Blame Mother: Mending the Mother-Daughter Relationship, by Paula J. Caplan

Balance is a Crock, Sleep is for the Weak: An Indispensable Guide to Surviving Working Motherhood, by Amy Eschliman and Leigh Oshirak

Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary, by Jill Smokler

When Did I Get Like This? : The Screamer, The Worrier, The Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be, by Amy Wilson

The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued, by Ann Crittenden

Sh*tty Mom: The Guide for Good-Enough Moms, by Laurie Kilmartin, Karen Moline, Alicia Ybarbo, Mary Ann Zoellner

Memoirs and Biographies

Mom & Me & Mom, by Maya Angelou


Blue Nights, by Joan Didion

Riding Shotgun: Women Write About Their Mothers, edited by Kathryn Kysar

The Source of the Spring: Mothers Through the Eyes of Women Writers: A Barnard College Collection, compiled by Judith Shapiro

Hard Time & Nursery Rhymes: A Mother's Tales of Law and Disorder, by Claudia Trupp

It Hit Me Like a Ton of Bricks: A Memoir of a Mother and Daughter, by Catherine Lloyd Burns

Las Mamis: Favorite Latino Authors Remember Their Mothers, edited by Esmeralda Santiago and Joie Davidow

Carrie and Me: A Mother-Daughter Love Story, by Carol Burnett

Remembering the Music, Forgetting the Words: Travels With Mom in the Land of Dementia, by Kate Whouley

The Eighth Promise: An American Son's Tribute to His Toisanese Mother, by William Poy Lee

A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother, by Janny Scott

Confessions of The Other Mother: Nonbiological Lesbian Moms Tell All, edited by Harlyn Aizley

Motherland: A Memoir, by Pamela Marin

She Looks Just Like You: A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood, by Amie Klempnauer Miller

Lives of Mothers & Daughters: Growing Up with Alice Munro, by Sheila Munro

A Special Education: One Family's Journey Through the Maze of Learning Disabilities, by Dana Buchman with Charlotte Farber

Waiting for Birdy: A Year of Frantic Tedium, Neurotic Angst, and the Wild Magic of Growing a Family, by Catherine Newman

The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, A Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them, by Amy Dickinson

Mother on Fire: a True Mother%#$@ About Parenting!, by Sandra Tsing Loh

Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story, by Sara Connell

Lifesaving Lessons: Notes From An Accidental Mother, Linda Greenlaw