Library Notes for the week of December 31st

Now that Christmas is over it is time for those thank-you notes. Try this on-line site for light-hearted guidelines to help you write thank-you notes. Suggestions include greeting the giver, expressing your gratitude (with tips such as "use the present perfect tense," and "never directly mention money"), discussing uses, mentioning the past and alluding to the future, and signing off. From the Morning News, an online magazine. http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/25095

Now maybe the time to catch up on your reading, why not try one of these books from our new bookshelf.

Blonde Faith by Walter Mosley. Easy Rawlins, L.A.'s most reluctant detective, comes home one day to find Easter, the daughter of his friend Christmas Black, left on his doorstep. Easy knows that this could only mean that the ex-marine Black is probably dead, or will be soon. Easter's appearance is only the beginning, as Easy is immersed in a sea of problems.

My Soul to Keep by T. Davis Bunn. An entrepreneur with nothing more than a dream teams up with an actor just out of prison and a has-been scriptwriter. Is their effort truly inspired or doomed from the start?

Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury. Derrick Anderson, a retiring quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, promised his dying son that he would win a Super Bowl for him. His hope may rest on upcoming star Aaron Hill, who is beginning to find the glitz and glamour of life at the top meaningless. To complicate things, there's a young foster child named Cory who believes that Aaron is his dad and is determined to get his point across, and sparks fly (of course) between Aaron and Megan, Cory's foster mother.

Library Notes week of December 17

Looking for something to do with your kids during the Christmas Holiday? We are planning a Family Storytime for Thursday, Dec. 27th at 6 p.m. Stories for kids and parents, prizes and refreshments, come and have a great time.

Maybe you have finished your Christmas shopping and need something to read. Here are a few of the latest titles to hit our new book shelf.

A Spy by Nature by Charles Cumming. Alec Milius is young, smart, and ambitious. He also has a talent for deception. He is working in a dead-end job when a chance encounter leads him to MI6, the elite British Secret Intelligence Service, handing him an opportunity to play center-stage in a dangerous game of espionage.

North River by Pete Hamill. In the dead of winter in the Depression year of 1934, Dr. Delaney knows the cause of death was always life. Delaney is numb from the war and the abandonment of his family. When he saves the life of gangster friend Eddie Corso, Italian hood Frankie Botts is not happy. Delaney can feel the threat to him and his grandson in his bones.

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith. Isabel has recently become a mother, but she has an ambiguous relationship with her son's father, Jamie, whose attempts to formalize their connection have been unsuccessful. Their ties are further strained by Jamie's ex-girlfriend, Cat, who not only still harbors strong feelings for him but is Isabel's niece. Isabel must also deal with petty academic politics aimed at depriving her of her position as editor of the Review of Applied Ethics.

Library Notes for the week of December 10th

We have been evaluating our magazine collection lately. As you are aware we have a very small collection of current magazines we subscribe. We have added a couple we hope will be popular. MasterGardener is a magazine published quarterly by the Washington State Fruit Commission. It covers gardening information for both sides of the state, has great pictures, and very informative articles. Piecework Magazine is published bimonthly and will be an inspiration for those creative souls in La Conner. The issues have a wide variety of topics from collecting vintage textiles to projects for you to crochet, sew, embroider and knit. I hope you will come in and take a look at these new additions to our magazine collection.

Why not stop by and pick up a book to read? Here are a few of the latest titles to hit our new book shelf.

Facets by Barbara Delinsky. Nothing can prepare writer Hillary Cox for seeing her lover of 20 years announce on television that he's marrying another woman. Seeking revenge, Hillary begins a tell-all book exposing John and his shady past.

Mad Dash by Patricia Gaffney. Professional photographer Dash Bateman is the opposite of her worrywart, straitlaced husband, Andrew, a history professor at Mason-Dixon College. After Dash's mother dies and the couple packs off their daughter for her freshman year at college, Dash leaves her house and husband for an extended stay in the couple's isolated cabin.

Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel. Sarah Sloane, 30-something wife of Seth, a wildly successful hedge fund entrepreneur, and mother of two, has planned to perfection a high-ticket charity auction. The only thing she hasn't counted on is the biggest seismic event to hit San Francisco since 1906 and the aftershocks it will cause in her marriage.

Library Notes for the week of December 3rd

Now that Thanksgiving is over the Christmas season begins in full force. Take some time in between your hectic shopping to enjoy a good book. Here are a few off the new book shelf with a Christmas theme.

Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M.C. Beaton. Agatha Raisin is feeling woefully middle-aged after hiring Toni Gilmour, an endearing U.K.-style Nancy Drew full of teen energy and charm. As Toni takes over the pet recovery end of the sleuthing business, Agatha looks into a mysterious letter from Phyllis Tamworthy, the rich matriarch of the Manor House in the idyllic Cotswolds, who suspects family members of plotting to kill her before she can change her will to disinherit them.

Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank. Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she's finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood. Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be.

The New Year’s Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. Having married on Christmas Eve at Elm Creek Manor, Sylvia and longtime family friend Andrew Cooper have to face the music and tell Andrew's children, especially his bitter daughter, Amy. On the way, master quilter Sylvia plies at a long unfinished quilt she calls New Year's Reflections, which she plans to give Amy in the hope of reconciliation.

Mark your calendar for December 27^th 6 p.m. at the library. We would like to invite you to a Family Storytime. There will be refreshments and prizes for all ages. You will hear more about this fun event later.

Library Notes for the week of November 19

In honor of Children’s Book Month, K. J. Cooper, our Children’s Specialist, has supplied us with reviews this week. Here are a few of the new children’s books we have in.

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson:
This much-awaited (our copy was ordered in July) story wraps up their trilogy about Peter Pan. Never Land is immersed in a tribal war and Peter and Molly are in the land of Rundoon fighting to save the planet from the unthinkable. This duo of authors have hit another high note with this tale.

Happy Birthday Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald & Anne MacDonald Canham: Those of us who grew up Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle are delighted that Betty MacDonald’s daughter found her mother’s unpublished works to introduce to another generation of readers to her magic. Cures realized in this volume relate to today’s kids, including “The Messy Stuff and Cram Cure” and “The Insult Cure”.

Mercy Watson, Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo: It’s Halloween and Mrs. Watson is determined that Mercy (their pig/child) will trick-or-treat. Mercy isn’t thrilled with the princess costume, but the promise of treats lures her on. Of course, the Lincoln sisters and their new cat throw a monkey-wrench in the evening. But all’s well that ends well and Mercy ends up happy. This easy-reader series (about second grade level) is sure to keep young readers amused.

Remember we have storytime every Thursday morning at 10:30 for toddlers. Of course we will be closed Thursday the 22^nd for Thanksgiving, but drop by any other Thursday to hear fun stories read to our littlest patrons.

Library Notes for the week of November 5

What a lovely event Arts Alive! is each year. Here at the library we have bookmarks designed by the elementary school students. Come see the “Reading is Magical” winning designs. Also, remember the library will be closed Monday, November 12^th for Veteran’s Day.

While you are in the library, check out a new book. Here are a few you might be interested in.

The Elephanta Suite by Paul Theroux: These novellas of hunger -- physical and spiritual -- only make sense in a country such as India, where such extremes meet constantly. Though Theroux repeats himself just a bit in the middle of "The Gateway of India," the thought-provoking novellas of The Elephanta Suite are otherwise beautifully paced, by turns moving, sexy and disturbing. You could finish one in an evening, which means that at least three evenings this fall would be very well spent.

The Heir by Barbara Taylor Bradford: At the age of thirty-three, Edward Deravenel, having survived harrowing years of betrayal, threats from ruthless enemies, countless lovers, and a war that ravaged his country, is finally king of his company. It’s 1918 and an influenza pandemic is sweeping the country. Meanwhile, the wrath of his ever-jealous wife is reaching a boiling point with suspicions about Edward’s relationships with other women.

Now and Then by Robert Parker: When a client who suspects his wife is cheating on him is murdered, Spenser, the Boston PI takes it personally, not only because the case resonates with Spenser's past history with love interest Susan, but also because, like Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade, Spenser feels he can't let a client get murdered without doing something about it.

Library Notes for the week of September 24

Skagit Kids Read Week is September 23-29. Join the kids in reading Crazy Hair Day by Barney Saltzberg. This is a great picture book story about an elementary school boy named Stanley who wraps, dips and sprays his hair for crazy hair day at school.

We have several new books on raising children. Here are a few you might want to check out next time you are in the library.

In Defense of Childhood by Chris Mercogliano. As co-director of the Albany Free School, Chris Mercogliano has had success in helping youngsters find their way in the world. He regrets, however, that most kids' lives are subject to some form of control from dawn until dusk. Lamenting risk-averse parents, overstructured school days, and a lack of playtime and solitude, Mercogliano argues that we are robbing our young people of "that precious, irreplaceable period in their lives that nature has set aside for exploration and innocent discovery," leaving them ill-equipped to face adulthood.

Practical Wisdom for Parents by Nancy Schulman. Starting with the premise that parents today face more pressures than ever, the authors admit that getting a child into preschool can be a hurdle. The atmosphere of competitiveness is one of the most significant changes they've witnessed during their combined 59 years in the field. Discussions of bedtime, meals, discipline, and toilet training combine to make this a practical and comprehensive resource.

A Special Education by Dana Buchman. Fashion designer Buchman was a woman of accomplishments, when her toddler was diagnosed with neurological, spatial, and motor-skill problems. As Charlotte grew older, she manifested dyslexia, had trouble counting and telling stories, and moved awkwardly. In this intense memoir, Buchman details her journey to find the means to help her daughter learn.

Library Notes for the week of September 17

If you are afraid of that computer your kids insist you have to have to communicate with them, remember we are offering free computer classes. Computer Basics is Wed., the 19^th and Surfing the Internet is Sept. 25^th. Get more details and sign up at the library.

No! I Don’t Want to Join a Book Club by Virginia Ironside. Marie Sharp is about to turn 60, and unlike many of her peers, she has no interest in taking up paragliding or living for three months with a tribe in Africa. She's intent on accepting this new phase of her life. Marie, in fact, has such an easygoing attitude toward aging that her friends are constantly inviting her out to dinner and on vacation. And though Marie has declared herself done with romantic entanglements, there's a very kind old friend, recently widowed, who has a crush on her.

Starburst by Robin Pilcher. A young, beautiful French violin virtuoso, an English mother working as a comic, a retired photography director, and a newlywed festival director, among others, meet and forge friendships as they each chase their dreams.

Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon. Helen, office staffer at a public relations firm, is fast approaching her 40th birthday. She is in despair of ever getting out of the secretary pool or snagging a full-time commitment from Matthew. When Matthew abruptly leaves wife Sophie and preteen daughters Suzanne and Claudia to move in with Helen, she's not sure it's the happy ending she had envisioned. Then she meets Sophie and begins a head-spinning ruse to convince Matthew to go back home to his family.

Library Notes for the week of August 27

The library recently received a grant for a laptop lab in order to provide more computer training around the community. The Computer Lab is supported by a grant from the Washington State Library with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Thanks to the grant we have purchased 9 laptops. The library is currently scheduling a series of basic computer classes. Wed. September 19th Computer Basics will be held at the La Conner Retirement Inn from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the private dining room. Tuesday, September 25th Surfing the Internet will be held at the Library from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. These classes are all free, but limited so call the library to sign up.

New books are always arriving. If you like a light cozy mystery, try one of these off the new book shelf.

Damsels in Distress by Joan Hess. A Renaissance fair descends on Farberville, while Claire, nervously contemplates her marriage to police detective Peter Rosen. She finds plenty of distraction when Edward Cobbinwood, a member of the Renaissance fair group, confides that he has come to Farberville in search of his long-lost father. Fearing that her late, unlamented husband, Carlton, was Edward's father, Claire spends time with the fair's organizers, hoping to discover the truth. A house fire claims the life of a mysterious woman named Angie, and the subsequent murder of a talented artist complicates everything.

Scots on the Rocks by Mary Daheim. When Judith and her cousin Renie go on vacation in a remote and possibly haunted Scottish castle strange things start occurring. There's a ghost, some goofy villagers, and enough suspects to overwhelm any police force, but no mystery is too daunting for these cousins.

Death by Chick Lit by Lynn Harris. Lola Somerville has a husband and a new apartment in Brooklyn, but what she really wants is for her novel to make it big. At a book party, Lola finds her author friend Mimi McKee with her throat slashed. When the bodies of It-Girl writers begin to pile up, Lola starts asking dangerous questions.

Library Notes for the week of August 20

KJ our Children's Specialist is helping one of our little patrons pick out just the right book to take home.

Remember the survey the library sent out in our newsletter? We have compiled the results and have them available at the checkout desk. If you are interested feel free to pick up a copy next time you are in. We really appreciate your input and will use it in our planning.

Remember Teen Night @ the Library is Friday, 6-8 p.m. Kids are invited to play games, eat pizza and hang-out at the library for an evening of fun.

New books are always arriving. Here are some of the newest non-fiction you might be interested in reading:

The Last Mrs. Astor by Frances Kiernan. After a disastrous early marriage, Brooke Astor wedded the notoriously ill-tempered Vincent Astor, who died in 1959. In a highly publicized courtroom battle, Brooke fought off an attempt to break Vincent's will, which left some $67 million to the Vincent Astor Foundation. As the foundation's president, Brooke would use this legacy to benefit New York, where the Astor fortune had been made. (Note: Mrs. Astor died on August 13^th at the age of 105)

The Reagan Diaries by Ronald Reagan. During his eight years as the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary, in which he recorded his innermost thoughts and observations. The handwritten diaries have been seen by only a few people to date, and they share Reagan's personal insights into the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine day–to–day events of his Presidency.

Dirt: the Erosion of Civilization by David R. Montgomery. Dirt, soil, call it what you want--it's everywhere we go. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are--and have long been--using up Earth's soil.

Library Notes for the week of August 13

Summer is coming to an end and school will be starting up soon. We have planned one last hurrah for our local kids.

Teen Night @ the Library will be August 24^th, 6 – 8 p.m. We all (adults included) had a blast with the kids at the one we had in June. There will be games—both on computer and board games—competitions, and great prizes. Of course we will also have food generously funded by the Kiwanis Club of La Conner. If you know a teen or two let them know they are welcome.

Here are a few of our new books. Check them out.

The Water’s Lovely by Ruth Rendell. A 13-year-old girl drowns her stepfather in the bathtub. That girl, Heather, is grown up, as is her sister, Ismay. The scene of the crime has been boarded up as a room, and the family lives without acknowledging that the crime has been boarded up as well.

Up Close and Personal by Fern Michaels. South Carolina heiress Sarabess Windsor must face the fallout of a decision she made 30 years ago: when her beloved daughter was diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness, doting Sarabess hatched a plan to bear another child solely as a source of bone marrow for little Emily.

Tumbling Blocks by Earlene Fowler. With Christmas just a few weeks away, Benni's queenly boss, Constance Sinclair, demands that she investigate the death of a local socialite. It's not long before Benni recognizes that there may be some deadly truth to Constance's suspicions. She'll need to crack the exclusive circle of suspects before one more gourmet goose gets cooked.

Library Notes for the week of August 6

Congratulations to David who won the La Conner Library Grand Prize Drawing.

The Summer Reading Program has reached the end of another great year. Congratulations to Hailey Azure on winning the Skagit County drawing for the bike donated by Skagit Cycle Center. Our local grand prize winner was David Takehara who won an MP3 player funded by Kress Chiropractic, Cliff and Gillian Sanctuary, and Sweet Haven Bakery. The library also had a drawing for the two Ike dogs used in our display. Hayleigh Summers won the large Ike and Will Southard won the small Ike. Above all, congratulations to all the kids who read. We had a total of 59,172 minutes read this summer!!

For the adults, we have some new titles you might want to check out next time you are in the library. Below are just a few.

Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician by Daniel Wallace. Henry Walker, once the "greatest magician in the world," has been reduced to a novelty act in a traveling circus. Henry's story, begins during the Depression, when Henry's family fell on hard times. While down and out, Henry meets and apprentices with the devilish magician Mr. Sebastian.

Peony in Love by Lisa See. As Peony, the 15-year-old daughter of the wealthy Chen family, approaches an arranged marriage, she commits an unthinkable breach of etiquette when she accidentally comes upon a man who has entered the family garden.

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. A completely original, cleverly written story, about a flock of Irish sheep who vow to solve the murder of their shepherd. George has always treated the flock like humans, reading to them, feeding them, protecting them from the local butcher, acknowledging their individual personalities, and even promising to take them to Europe. Imagine the flock's shock when George is found dead in their meadow with a spade stuck in his chest! Led by Miss Maple, the smartest of them all, the sheep decide they must find out who killed George.

Library Notes for the week of July 30

Congratulations to Hailey!! She was the lucky winner of the Summer Reading Program Skagit Countywide prize. Skagit Cycle Center in Burlington donated the bike.

Where has the summer gone? I cannot believe it is August already. August is Cataract Awareness Month as well as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. If you know someone with vision problems I hope you encourage them to use our large print books or books on tape. We can also direct people to the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle. They supply books and magazines in a variety of formats for the visually impaired. The service is free to those who qualify.

If you stop into the library be sure to check the new book shelf. Here are a few of our newest titles:

The Perfect Summer by Juliet Nicolson. Juliet Nicolson chronicles the summer of 1911, when the rich partied, the industrial strikes almost brought the country to a standstill, and WWI loomed on the horizon. Drawing on a wide variety of primary sources—from Churchill's memoirs to the tell-all What the Butler Winked At—journalist Nicolson serves up a delightfully gossipy yet substantial slice of social history.

Dog Days by Jon Katz. Bedlam Farm, a cross between a working and a hobby farm, is the home of the animals that are his inspiration in this book. Rose, the border collie, who can be relied on for all kinds of work; the border collie, Izzy, who comes from a troubled past; and the Labradors Clem, who loves everyone but needs one special person, and gentle Pearl, who knows instinctively what everyone needs.

Rumspringa: To Be Or Not To Be Amish by Tom Sachtman. A teenage Amish girl sits in her buggy, one hand dangling a cigarette while the other holds a cellphone in which she is loudly chatting away. This girl, like many Amish teens 16 and older, is in a period called rumspringa, when the strict rules of community life are temporarily lifted while an adolescent chooses whether to be baptized into the church and abide fully by its laws.

Library Notes for the week of July 23

Saturday, July 21st the library celebrated the release of the last Harry Potter book with Master Payne and his illusions. We also gave away a copy of the Harry Potter title to one lucky audience member. Brayden Howard was the lucky winner!

Some exiting news at the library! We received a grant through the Washington State Library Gates Staying Connected Project to replace two of our aging public computers. If you use our public computers you know they are getting hard use and are in need of replacement. This grant helps us stretch our technology budget a bit further. The new computers should be up and running soon.

Kids, don’t forget the big countywide celebration for the end of our Summer Reading Program. Thursday, July 26^th at either 10:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. Brothers from Different Mothers will perform at the new Burlington library. You will not want to miss this!!

We are getting lots of new books. Why not check out one of these.

Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinkski. A young American freelance writer accompanies his girlfriend to Thailand, where, from a person he'd known before, he is offered a story to pursue. It seems a woman anthropologist had been imprisoned in Thailand for murder and subsequently killed herself during her incarceration.

Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge. Alice Kessler, the married mother of two sons, is living on Grays Island, in the Pacific Northwest, when her eight-year-old son is run over while riding his bike. Alice is convinced the driver, Owen White, was drunk—though her husband is not--neither is the court system. So, on the day Alice loses her wrongful death lawsuit, she runs Owen down in the courthouse parking lot, crippling but not killing him. Alice serves nine years and returns to the island near-broke and hoping to reunite with her surviving son now 16.

Still Life with Elephant by Judy Reene Singer. When social worker turned horse trainer Cornelia "Neelie" Sterling finds out her vet husband, Matt, is cheating on her, she throws him out, but can't bear to make it legal. Faced with losing her house and barn, Neelie jumps aboard Matt's mission to Zimbabwe to rescue two wounded elephants, thinking the transatlantic journey will convince him to recommit to the marriage.

Library Notes week of July 16

Wednesday, July 18th the library had a crowd of 50 people for a special Summer Reading program: The Magic of Sterling Dietz.

With only 2 years of experience in the art of magic and illusion, Dietz is taking the magic world by storm. He took 2nd in the world at the world magic Seminar in Las Vegas in Feb. and 1st place teen stage at the International Brotherhood of Magicians convention in Reno just 3 weeks ago. Not only that, he is on the honor roll at Lynden High School, where he is a student. What a treat.

If you are in the library be sure to check out our new books. Here are a few of the latest titles.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. The book opens on the anxious Dorset Coast wedding suite dinner of Edward Mayhew and the former Florence Ponting, married in the summer of 1963; the looming dramatic crisis is the marriage's impending consummation, or lack of it. Their fears about sex and their inability to discuss them form the story's center.

Only the Cat Knows by Marian Babson. The feline-themed cozy takes readers to a remote castle where a wealthy business tycoon, Everett Oversall, lives surrounded by female employees. One of them, Vanessa, takes a fall and lapses into a coma. Vanessa's twin brother, Vance, who happens to work as a female impersonator, is sure that someone tried to kill his sister, so he dons her clothes, fakes amnesia and infiltrates the compound.

The Broken Shore by Peter Temple. Joe Cashin, a city homicide cop recovering from an injury, returns to the quiet coastal area of South Australia where he grew up. There he investigates the beating death of elderly millionaire Charles Bourgoyne. After three aboriginal teens try to sell Bourgoyne's missing watch, the cops ambush the boys, killing two. When the department closes the case, Joe decides to find the truth on his own.

Library Notes

5 kids ages 7 - 11 had a great time doing the Library Scavenger Hunt on Friday, July 6th. They searched the library for answers to questions like who illustrated the Velveteen Rabbit and who created Sherlock Holmes. Kaitlyn was the winner with the most correct answers. She received this great pirate book. The parents learned as much as the children did about how to use the library.

Independence Day is a time that makes us remember our historical past. If you enjoy history, you may enjoy some of these new titles that shed light on parts of the history of the United States. Check one out next time you are in the library.

Fallen Founder by Nancy Isenberg. This biography by Isenberg argues that Burr was the real thing, a founder "at the center of nation building" and a "capable leader in New York political circles." Isenberg believes Burr was "the only founder to embrace feminism," the only one who "adhered to the ideal that reason should transcend party differences." Far from being an empty vessel, she says, Burr defended freedom of speech, wanted to expand suffrage and was a proponent of equal rights.

Presidential Courage by Michael Beschloss. Using new sources and providing interesting perspectives, Beschloss examines a variety of actions and decisions taken by presidents under great stress. Some of the more interesting episodes examined here include Washington's decision to fight for ratification of the unpopular Jay's Treaty with Britain, Jackson's struggle against the rechartering of the Bank of the United States, and Truman's decision to support the establishment of the state of Israel, despite vociferous opposition from the State Department.

Last Flag Down by John Baldwin. During the Civil War the Confederate ship, the Shenandoah, launched a series of remarkably successful raids on Union shipping. However, cut off from communication with the Southern homeland, the crew was unaware of the surrender of Confederate armies in April 1865. Since the Shenandoah continued raiding, the sailors on board were now pirates. When the officers realized this, they began a heroic effort to find a refuge for themselves and their crew.

Library Notes for the week of July 2

If you missed Allyoop at the library last week, you missed a great program of riddles, songs and stories. You don’t want to miss any of the future programs. Friday, July 6^th is a library scavenger hunt for ages 7-11. July the 11^th we will have the actors of Last Leaf production presenting “The Wolf’s Tale”. You will not want to miss Sterling Dietz, award winning teen magician, from Lynden- he is amazing. He will be performing Wed. July the 18^th. Check out the library window where we will have reminders.

While you are at the library check out one of these new titles:

Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison. In this entertaining novel set in Washington, D.C., three very different women are brought together by a shared passion: shoes. They meet once a week to trade Manolos and Maglis, but soon they rely on each other for much more.

Summer Reading by Hilma Wolitzer. The story of three women whose paths cross during a summer in the Hamptons. Lissy Snyder, an insecure second wife, is uncertain of her place in her husband's heart and feels intimidated by her stepchildren. To help cement her position in Hamptons society, Lissy decides to host a book club for other young socialites and hires an eccentric former English professor, Angela Graves, to lead the group.

The Marriage Game by Fern Michaels. When Samantha Rainford -- newly wed to Douglas Cosmo Rainford III -- returns home from her honeymoon to find divorce papers waiting, she's shocked and heartbroken. Then she discovers that she's not the first to be abandoned -- she's one of four (or maybe more) ex-Mrs. Rainfords -- and decides it's time to put into practice that old truism: Don't get mad, get even.

Library Notes for the week of June 25

Our Summer Reading Program is well underway with the kids of La Conner. If your child (or grandchild) has not signed up, get them in soon so they get in on the wonderful prizes we have this year. For programs this week we have preschool storytime at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hairytown Museum; and for the middle school kids a special showing of the movie National Treasure at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Lincoln Theater. Pickup a schedule of events at the library and join in the fun.

For the adults come in and check out one of these new titles:

Always by Nicola Griffith. Aud Torvingen is flying to Washington. She has inherited her father's holdings and must deal with a Seattle real-estate manager who is robbing her blind. She also needs to see her wealthy, diplomat mother and meet her new stepfather. Interspersed are flashbacks of the women's self-defense class she'd taught back home in Atlanta--with unforeseen and deadly results.

Cat in a Red Hot Rage by Carole Nelson Douglas. Electra had volunteered for security at the Vegas convention of the Red Hat Sisterhood. The crime du jour occurs when Pink Lady Oleta Lark (an under-50 Red Hatter) is strangled with a purple scarf that Electra earlier happened to help her tie. Oleta was another ex-wife of Electra's third ex-husband, Elmore Lark. Eager to prove Electra's innocence, Temple and Midnight Louie swing into action with the help of Electra's fellow Red Hatters and some clever cats.

Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris. In this funny debut, a group of copywriters and designers at a Chicago ad agency face layoffs at the end of the '90s boom. Indignation rises over the rightful owner of a particularly coveted chair. Gonzo e-mailer Tom Mota quotes Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the midst of his tirades, desperately trying to retain a shred of integrity at a job that requires a ruthless attention to what will make people buy things.

Library Newsletter and Survey

We recently sent out our second annual newsletter to our patron base. Included in the newsletter was a survey. I would like to say thank you to all the people who completed surveys for the library by the June 18 deadline. We are so pleased by the number of responses and are currently compiling the information. If you didn't get a survey completed you can still participate. There are surveys in the library or you can take the survey from our website: www.lclib.lib.wa.us . We will take comments through the end of June. The winners of the June 18th drawing are: Stephanie Hancock, dinner at Nell Thorn; Bruce Hubbard, dinner at La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib; and Alexis Vogel, dinner at La Conner Brewing Company. Congratulations! Thank you also to the restaurants who donated the gift certificates. This community is the best!

Joy Neal, Director

The La Conner Library Blog

For our patrons who travel and want to stay in touch with the happenings at La Conner we are exploring a blog. I intend to post my weekly column from the Channel Town Press so you will get brief reviews of our newest books and little snippets of what is happening around here. I hope you enjoy our step into the brave new technology.