Library Notes Week of Nov. 14

The library is part of one of the Recovery Grants you may have heard of a year or so ago. The grant we are involved in is for computer training labs. Because of the grant, we have been able to upgrade the software on our laptops and purchase special equipment so we can access the Internet for all the laptops (as long as there is cell service). This makes it possible to take our lab anywhere for classes. We are looking forward to offering more computer classes. If you are interested in basic computer training—or any computer training we may not have offered in the past—give us a call at 466-3352.

The reviews this week are from KJ Cooper, our Children’s Specialist. She has given us the plots of three newer Young Adult titles.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Imagine a world where there is a cure for love (amor deliria nervosa) which you must take upon turning eighteen. No more sweaty palms, difficulty focusing, loss of appetite or obsessive thoughts. Lena Haloway believes the government regulation is justified since her mother took her own life over love. But then she meets Alex --before she turns eighteen.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. A plane full of beauty pageant contestants goes down crashes on a small tropical island. The first few days after the crash, the Texan contestant insisted they continue practicing interview questions and dance routines. It soon becomes obvious that building shelter, finding food and survival are much higher priorities. Plus, larger threats exist on the island in the form of an American mega-corporation involved with shady activities and a secret arms deal between a human-rights violating dictator and presidential wannabe, Ladybird Hope. As the girls learn what’s really going on, they learn to define themselves beyond beauty pageants.

Tiger’s Quest by Colleen Houck. This second book of a trilogy picks up right where Tiger’s Curse leaves off. Kelsey Hayes has returned from India where she risked her life to rescue a handsome prince from a terrible curse. Back home in Oregon, she’s determined to move on, but Ren (the prince) is not willing to let her walk away from him and the second part of the curse. All of that is complicated by the fact that she has met LI, an ordinary fellow who could offer her an unremarkable life.

Library Notes Week of Nov. 1

On Saturday, November 12, more than 20,000 people in communities across the United States will come together in the spirit of play for American Library Assoc.’s fourth annual National Gaming Day @ your library. Sponsored by Family and Party Games, the event aims to reconnect communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games. Drop into the La Conner Regional Library between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to be a part of this fun day.

After playing a game with a child or friend, you might want to check out one of these new books.

Goddess of Vengeance by Jackie Collins. Lucky runs a high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas. Lennie, her movie star husband, is still writing and directing successful independent movies, while Max, her stubborn and gorgeous teenage daughter is about to celebrate her 18th birthday, and her son, Bobby, owns a string of hot clubs. Lucky has everything. Family. Love. Life. And everything is exactly what billionaire businessman Armand Jordan is determined to take from her one way or the other.

The Vault by Ruth Rendell. In the stunning climax to Rendell’s classic A Sight for Sore Eyes, three bodies—two dead, one living—are entombed in an underground chamber beneath a picturesque London house. Twelve years later, when a manhole cover is pulled back, the house’s new owner makes a grisly discovery. Only now, the number of bodies is four. How did somebody else end up in the chamber? And who knew of its existence?

Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn. Will Cochrane, the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he’s never been outplayed. So far…Will’s controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today’s most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man’s past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced—and survived—up to now.

Library Notes Week of August 22

If your child participated in the Summer Reading Program they may have a free book waiting for them. They need to have read and reported 800 minutes to earn a book. Stop in soon for the best selection.

When you stop into the library, take a look at our new books. Here are a few you might want to check out.

The Story of Charlotte’s Web by Michael Sims. As he was composing what was to become his most popular book, E. B. White was obeying that old maxim: "Write what you know." Helpless pigs, silly geese, clever spiders, greedy rats-White knew all of these characters in the barns and stables where he spent his favorite hours. Painfully shy his entire life, White once wrote of himself, "this boy felt for animals a kinship he never felt for people."

50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants by Ruth Rogers Clausen and Alan Detrick. Clausen and Detrick make keeping deer away as simple as choosing the appropriate plant. Instead of the typical barriers and fencing, they have chosen the 50 most beautiful (and least palatable) annuals, bulbs, ferns, grasses, herbs, perennials, and shrubs. Whether it’s the charming snow crocuses that bloom each spring or the vibrant, long-blooming Texas Sage, these 50 plants provide gardeners a chance to design a deer-proof garden without sacrificing style.

The Mathematics of Life by Ian Stewart. Ian Stewart provides a fascinating overview of the vital but little-recognized role mathematics has played in pulling back the curtain on the hidden complexities of the natural world--and how its contribution will be even more vital in the years ahead. In his characteristically clear and entertaining fashion, Stewart explains how mathematicians and biologists have come to work together on some of the most difficult scientific problems that the human race has ever tackled.

Library Notes Week of August 8

I am happy to announce you can again download audio books. Look for the OneClickDigital banner on our webpage and click on it to go the site. You will have to create a new account regardless of whether you had one with NetLibraries. When you sign up it will ask for an access code which you will need to call us to get or we can help you sign up in the library. The great news is it is 100% iPod compatible and looks like it is much easier to use.

When you stop into the library, take a look at our new books. Here are a few you might want to check out.

Monument to Murder by Margaret Truman. Times are tough in Savannah for former cop and current PI Robert Brixton, so when he agrees to take on a 20 year-old murder case, he figures he’s got nothing to lose. It’s not long before the trail leads him deep into the corrupt underbelly of Savannah’s power elite, and right into the lap of a secret government organization that’s been offing “troublesome” politicians for decades. The cold case heats up when he joins forces with former attorneys Mackensie and Annabel Lee Smith to investigate the organization and the murders they committed in the name of patriotism.

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner. Jules Strauss is a Princeton senior with a full scholarship, acquaintances instead of friends, and a family she’s ashamed to invite to Parents’ Weekend. With the income she’ll receive from donating her “pedigree” eggs, she believes she can save her father from addiction. Annie Barrow married her high school sweetheart. After years of staying at home and struggling to support four people on her husband’s salary, she thinks she’s found a way to bring in some extra cash. India Bishop, has changed everything about herself: her name, her face, her past. In New York City, she falls for a wealthy older man, Marcus Croft, and decides a baby will ensure a happy ending. When her attempts at pregnancy fail, she turns to technology, and Annie and Jules, to help make her dreams come true. But each of their plans is thrown into disarray when Marcus’ daughter becomes convinced that his new wife is not what she seems…

Overbite by Meg Cabot. Meena Harper has a special gift, but it’s only now that anyone’s ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard—a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican—has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena’s ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead. Meena’s sworn off vampires for good . . . at least until she can prove her theory that just because they’ve lost their souls doesn’t mean demons have lost the ability to love. Meena knows convincing her co-workers—including her partner, Über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf—that vampires can be redeemed won’t be easy . . . especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena’s friends and family as well.

Library Notes Week of June 12

Now that school is out kids need to get reading. Teens will want to read in order to be eligible for a drawing at the end of the program. We have a KoBo e-reader one of them will win. We have lots of weekly prizes for the younger set thanks to the generous merchants of La Conner. They will want to hit 800 minutes to be put into a drawing for a bike and helmet. Since boredom will be setting in soon, be sure to check out the many programs going on starting with Scott Petersen, the Reptile Man. He will be here Thursday, June 23^rd at 10 a.m. with his snakes and other critters. See you there.

While you are in signing your child up for the Summer Reading Program, check out one of these books from the new book shelf.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong. Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

Eve by Iris Johansen. After searching for years, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is finally close to solving the mystery her daughter’s murder. With the help of her CIA friend Catherine Ling, Eve narrows the field of suspects down to either Paul Black or John Gallo, both of whom work for a corrupt military intelligence officer. Paul has a history of killing children, and John is mentally unstable after a stint in a North Korean prison. The specter of Gallo forces Eve to relive her tumultuous past, growing up in the projects of Atlanta, intent on staying out of trouble until she meets John. He was about to join the army to become a Ranger, but first they had a brief yet highly charged affair, which left Eve pregnant with Bonnie. Now nothing will stop Eve from learning the truth about her daughter’s fate.

Southern Comfort by Fern Michaels. Atlanta homicide detective Patrick 'Tick' Kelly turned his back on the world the day his wife and children were murdered. Abandoning his city and his career, he holed up in a beach house on Mango Key, Florida, and drowned his grief in Jack Daniels. Now sober and a bestselling author, Tick would gladly stay a recluse forever if his brother Pete didn't keep trying to drag him back to the land of the living. After years of sacrificing her personal life in favor of her DEA job, special agent Kate Rush resigned and moved back to her native Miami. But the unofficial assignment that has just come her way is too intriguing to pass up. She and a fellow ex-agent are relocated to Mango Key to keep an eye on an imposing, mysterious fortress believed to be at the center of a human trafficking ring.

Library Notes Week of May 30

As school winds down it is time to start thinking about the library’s Summer Reading Program. If you have kids in school this is for them. Reading through the summer will help them keep up their skills and it is fun! Prizes and programs will fill eight weeks starting June 6^th. Things will be happening for Teens as well. Stop in to the library or check our website www.lclib.lib.wa.us for a list of activities.

New books are always arriving. Here are some you might like to check out.

From this Moment On by Shania Twain. The world may know Shania Twain as many things: a music legend, a mother, and recently, a fixture in the news for her painful, public divorce and subsequent marriage to a cherished friend. But in this autobiography, Shania reveals that she is much more. She is one of five children born into poverty in rural Canada, where her family often didn't have enough food to send her to school with lunch. She's the teenage girl who helped her mother and young siblings escape to a battered woman's shelter to put an end to the domestic violence in her family home. And she's the courageous twenty-two-year-old who sacrificed to keep her younger siblings together after her parents were tragically killed in a car accident.

Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? By Steven Tyler. Tyler tells what it's like to be a living legend and the frontman of one of the world's most revered and infamous bands—the debauchery, the money, the notoriety, the fights, the motels and hotels, the elevators, limos, buses and jets, the rehab. He reveals the spiritual side that "gets lost behind the stereotype of the Sex Guy, the Drug Guy, the Demon of Screamin', the Terror of the Tropicana." And he talks about his epic romantic life and his relationship with his four children.

Walt Before Mickey by Timothy S. Susanin. For ten years before the creation of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney struggled with, failed at, and eventually mastered the art and business of animation. Most biographies of his career begin in 1928, when Steamboat Willie was released. That first Disney Studio cartoon with synchronized sound made its main character--Mickey Mouse-an icon for generations. But Steamboat Willie was neither Disney's first cartoon nor Mickey Mouse's first appearance. Prior to this groundbreaking achievement, Walt Disney worked in a variety of venues and studios, refining the Disney style. In Walt Before Mickey, 1919-1928, Timothy Susanin creates a portrait of the artist from age seventeen to the cusp of his international renown.

Library Notes Week of May 23

The town just thought they got rid of the turkeys!! Kiwanis Cash Cow Art Show will feature turkeys and some of them are very cute. There will be pigs and chickens and cows as well. Look for them around town starting June 1^st.

New books arrived last week. Here are some you might like to check out.

Spider Web by Earlene Fowler. The Memory Festival is a celebration of recollections and loved ones through crafts. But when a local cop is wounded by a mysterious sharpshooter who seems to have a vendetta against the police. Benni is concerned for her police-chief husband, Gabe, who may also be a target and is showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder through violent nightmares about his time in Vietnam. As if this isn't enough, a mysterious woman moves to San Celina who shows more than a passing interest in Gabe, leading Benni to wonder if this is yet another woman from his past. Benni is determined to make her hometown safe-before their peaceful street fair becomes a day to remember in the worst way.

The Worst Thing by Aaron Elkins. For Bryan Bennett, designing hostage negotiation programs is the perfect job-as long as he keeps a safe, theoretical distance. What he can't do is deal directly with kidnappers or their victims, as a result of his own abduction and imprisonment as a small boy. Thirty-some years later, intense nightmares still plague his sleep, and a fear of enclosed spaces prevents him from attempting to travel. So when Bryan's boss asks him to fly to Reykjavik, Iceland, to teach his corporate-level kidnapping and extortion seminar, he automatically says no. But the CEO of GlobalSeas Fisheries, Inc. has specifically requested Bryan-or no one else. Bryan finally relents...

10^th Anniversary by James Patterson. Detective Lindsay Boxer's long-awaited wedding celebration becomes a distant memory when she is called to investigate a horrendous crime: a badly injured teenage girl is left for dead, and her newborn baby is nowhere to be found. Lindsay discovers that not only is there no trace of the criminals--but that the victim may be keeping secrets as well. At the same time, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the biggest case of her life--a woman who has been accused of murdering her husband in front of her two young children. Yuki's career rests on a guilty verdict, so when Lindsay finds evidence that could save the defendant, she is forced to choose. Should she trust her best friend or follow her instinct?

Library Notes Week of May 4

I hope you noticed the new furniture in the library? Actually we had the old pieces recovered and they look wonderful. It was made possible by memorial donations made in the name of Corinne Hajek, a former trustee of the library. This was one project she started, but never had an opportunity to finish. She wanted to have the furniture freshened up and I think she would be pleased with the results.

When you come in to admire the furniture, check out the new books shelf. Maybe one of the following would be of interest.

Idea Man by Paul Allen. Paul Allen, best known as the cofounder of Microsoft, has left his mark on numerous fields, from aviation and science to rock 'n' roll, professional sports, and philanthropy. His passions and curiosity have transformed the way we live. In 2007 and again in 2008, Time named him one of the hundred most influential people in the world. While much has been written about Microsoft's early years, Allen has never before told the story from his point of view. Nor has he previously talked about the details of his complex relationship with Gates or his behind-closed- doors perspective on how a struggling startup became the most powerful technology company in the world. Idea Man is the candid and long-awaited memoir of an intensely private person, a tale of triumphant highs and terrifying lows.

The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster by Joshua Kendall. Kendall honors Webster's crucial contributions to early American nationalism, which extended far beyond his primary obsession, the written word. He paints a complex portrait of Webster a man he claims "housed a host of contradictory identities: revolutionary, reactionary, fighter, peacemaker, intellectual, commonsense philosopher, ladies' man, prig, slick networker and loner." In spite of his flaws, Webster, belongs among the ranks of America's notable founders, associating with George Washington and Ben Franklin, among others, to craft an early American identity rooted in national pride and a distinctly American lexicon.

The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric. What was the tipping point for Malcolm Gladwell? What unscripted event made Meryl Streep who she is? How did Mario Batali cook up his recipe for success? In this inspiration-packed book, Katie Couric reports from the front lines of the worlds of politics, entertainment, sports, philanthropy, the arts, and business—distilling the ingenious, hard-won insights of leaders and visionaries, who tell us all how to take chances, follow our passions, cope with criticism, and, perhaps most important, commit to something greater than ourselves.

Library Notes Week April 11

Have you had a change to try out the new catalog? If you would like helping learning how to use it, just stop by and we can give you a quick tour. It is really pretty easy once you get the hang of it—and so fast compared to the old one.

You will note that when you go to “my account” you need a login and password. The login is your library card number—don’t enter the “P”—the password is the last four digits of your home phone number. Of course if we don’t have your phone number, it was a cell (and we wrote cell after it) or it was entered incorrectly you may have to come in. We can change it for you.

When you come in be sure we have your correct e-mail. The system sends out notices to e-mails that your holds are ready for pick up, reminds you that your books will be due in three days, and sends out overdue notices. It will make us much more efficient!

When you come in check out our new books, maybe you would enjoy one of these.

Fatal Error by J. A. Jance. Ali Reynolds begins the summer thinking her most difficult challenge will be surviving a six-week- long course as the lone forty-something female at the Arizona Police Academy—not to mention taking over the 6:00 AM shift at her family’s restaurant while her parents enjoy a long overdue Caribbean cruise. However, when Brenda Riley, a colleague from Ali’s old news broadcasting days in California, shows up in town with an alcohol problem and an unlikely story about a missing fiancé, Ali reluctantly agrees to help.

The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey. Abandoned by her father and neglected by her self-absorbed mother, Sheila McGee longs to escape from her small Irish village, where her destiny seems already to be written: forever consigned to working at the mill, forced to hand over her paycheck to her mother. When she gets the opportunity to compete for the title of 1941 Linen Queen, she finally sees a way out, for the prize money will fund her dream of escaping to England. But WWII intervenes, bringing with it travel restrictions and a base set up for American soldiers. She intends to snag American officer Joel Solomon, much to the distress of her childhood friend, Gavin. Joel turns out to be a Jewish soldier of conscience and schools her in the deeper meaning of the fight against Hitler.

Gideon’s Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. At twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down. At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him. Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills. Someone who has need of just such a renegade.

Library Notes Week March 7

Join the Friends of the Library, Monday, March 21st for their next meeting. A social time starts at 9:30 am with coffee and goodies, followed by a program and business meeting. The program for March is Joy Lewis who talks about Angels around us--should be very interesting.

The Friends are gearing up to sell raffle tickets for their annual tulip poster. Buy a few tickets from them at the BookNook, or better yet, volunteer to help sell the tickets. Remember they are raising funds to help the library with needs we have beyond our budget. We appreciate all the work they do for us.

When you stop by the library for those tulip tickets, check out one of these books off the new book shelf.

A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer. As the U.S. President, James Allaire, is beginning his State of the Union address, a number of small containers of a viral agent explode and infect the more than 700 people, including every important member of the government except the director of homeland security, who have gathered in the House chamber. The Capitol must be sealed off and the infected audience held inside until a cure for the disease can be found.

The Border Lords by T. Jefferson Parker. The Border Lords finds Deputy Hood still determined to battle gun and drug traffic along the U.S.--Mexico border. ATF agent Sean Ozburn has dropped out of sight, leaving a handful of bullet-riddled bodies in his wake. Ozburn's wife, Seliah, has received e-mails from Sean that speak of a gravely important "mission" but offer no indication of his whereabouts.

A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriquez. A group of women come together in a Kubul coffee shop run by Sunny, a free-spirited American. Sunny takes in the young widow, Yazmina, the casualty of her uncle's debt to Afghan thugs. Halajan is a firecracker older widow who hides her cropped hairdo, jean skirts and love letters under her burqa. Isabel, a hard-hitting BBC journalist on location who uncovers the truth about female workers addicted to the opium they handle in the fields. Finally there is Candace, a well-heeled Bostonian, who has followed her Afghan boyfriend to Kabul to fundraise for his schoo, but soon suspects his real motives for the school and their relationship.

Library Notes Week of February 14

We are gearing up for another teen night @ the library. February 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. teens can play on our Wii system, eat pizza, and have a fun time hanging out. We will have table games available as well. Spread the word to any teens you know.

KJ has been reading some of our new titles that will appeal to our young adult readers. Maybe one of these will interest the teen in your life.

Matched by Ally Condie. Cassia lives in a world where “The Authorities” control every aspect of their lives. Cassia turns seventeen on the day of her Matching Banquet. She finds out the name of the boy who is her perfect partner…the man she will marry. But the screen is blank for several seconds before Xander’s picture finally appears. Xander, who has been her best friend since childhood is her perfect match! However, the microchip she has been given to tell her about her match tells a different story. The Authorities made a mistake? Impossible!

The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee. Mary, at twelve years of age is plucked from the gallows by the headmistress of an unusual school for girls. Fast forward to Mary’s seventeenth year and she joins the Agency, a group of elite female detectives run by her rescuers. Mary is sent undercover to investigate the possible fraud of a well-to-do import merchant. As she unravels the mystery surrounding the claims of missing cargo, Mary has to live by her wits and rely on her intuition.

The Ring of Solomon (A Bartimaeus Novel) by Jonathan Stroud. The Bartimaeus trilogy plus one…Stroud gives us a “prequel” to his popular fantasy series. alternate Jerusalem in King Solomon is on the throne. His absolute control over his domain is held due to his magical ring that makes his subjects cower. He is having a fabulous temple built in his honor. The mischievous djinni, Bartimaeus, is banned from the project and sent to hunt bandits in the desert. There he meets Asmira, who is on a quest to steal the ring even if it means killing Solomon.

Library Notes Week January 17

The IRS forms are beginning to arrive, but we don’t have much yet. Keep checking back, and remember we can help you print out what you need from our public computers. Speaking of public computers, we are starting another series of computer classes. They will be at the library from 9 a.m. to about 11 a.m. the first three Thursdays in February. This might be a good time to find out how to use that computer you got for Christmas.

We have been getting some new Young Adult books, so KJ have provided us with some reviews for that teen in your family.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard. Shepard has begun a new series for her Pretty Little Liars fans. Emma discovers she has a long lost twin sister, Sutton. Unfortunately, by the time Emma goes to visit, Sutton is murdered. Emma becomes Sutton in order to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder. Sutton narrates the story as she watches over Emma’s search for her killer. This series has many of the same elements as PLL: mean girls with their rivalries and secrets, a love interest and a murder to solve. If the ending leaves you hanging, you only have to wait until July to get the second installment of the series.

The Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card. Rigg and Umbo are sent on a mission when Rigg’s father dies. They must find Rigg’s sister – a sister he didn’t know he had. Rigg is a Pathfinder, one who sees the paths of others’ pasts. Umbo (who has the ability to seemingly change the movement of time) and a small group of friends accompany him on this journey. He discovers his birthright that catches him between two factions—one which would have him crowned and the other that wants him dead. Woven through this story is another of a traveler using space-folding technology to pilot a colony ship from Earth to a new world. This page-turner is the beginning of another epic series by Card.

The Killer’s Cousin by Nancy Werlin. David Yaffe is sent to live with his aunt, uncle and cousin to repeat his senior year of high school. His parents hope he will be able to escape the craziness that surrounded them when he was tried for murdering his girlfriend. Even though it was an accident, David is, understandably, riddled with guilt. However, his aunt’s household is battling its own dysfunction caused by their oldest daughter’s apparent suicide years before. His aunt and uncle are cold and his cousin, Lily, is openly hostile. David begins to realize that Lily has demons of her own to conquer. Who is the cousin and who is the killer?