Library Notes Week of Feb. 27

Do you know someone with eye sight problems? People tend to forget the Talking Book Library is available. They provide a free public library service which includes easy access to the informational and recreational reading materials needed by individuals in the State of Washington who are unable to read standard print material. The Washington Talking Book & Braille Library houses a varied collection of books and magazines on cassette and digital cartridge. A Digital Talking Book Machine and special cassette machine are needed to play these materials and is provided free of charge to registered users. Ask us how to qualify for this wonderful service.

Next time you come in, take a look at all the new books we have. Here are a few you might be interested in checking out.

Ice Balloon by Alec Wilkinson. Alec Wilkinson brings us the story of S. A. Andrée, the visionary Swedish aeronaut who, in 1897, during the great age of Arctic endeavor, left to discover the North Pole by flying to it in a hydrogen balloon. Called by a British military officer “the most original and remarkable attempt ever made in Arctic exploration,” Andrée’s expedition was followed by nearly the entire world, and it made him an international legend.

Pinched by Don Peck. Don Peck's Pinched keenly observes how the recession has changed the places we live, the work we do, and even who we are--and details the transformations that are yet to come. Every class and every generation will be affected: newly minted college graduates, blue-collar men, affluent professionals, exurban families, elite financiers, middle-class retirees. The crash has shifted the course of the economy. In its aftermath, the middle class is shrinking faster, wealth is becoming more concentrated, twenty-somethings are sinking, and working-class families and communities are changing in unsavory ways.

Rin Tin Tin: the Life and the Legend by Susan Orlean. It begins on a battlefield in France during World War I, when a young American soldier, Lee Duncan, discovered a newborn German shepherd in the ruins of a bombed-out dog kennel. To Duncan, who came of age in an orphanage, the dog’s survival was a miracle. He saw something in Rin Tin Tin that he felt compelled to share with the world. Duncan brought Rinty home to California, where the dog’s athleticism and acting ability drew the attention of Warner Bros. Over the next ten years, Rinty starred in twenty-three blockbuster silent films that saved the studio from bankruptcy and made him the most famous dog in the world.

Library Notes Week February 8

It is that time of year again! We have the major federal tax forms and instruction booklets at the library for you pick up. If you don’t find what you need, ask about for the reproducible forms. We can also help you access the IRS website on our public computers for any forms we don’t have. Although we cannot give you tax advice, we are happy to help you locate the information you need to file your taxes.

Next time you come in, take a look at all the new books we have. Here are a few you might be interested in checking out.

Tuesday Night Miracles by Kris Radish. Dr. Olivia Bayer suspects she’ll need a miracle to help the four women in her anger management class. Grace, a single working mother, can barely find a moment’s rest. Jane, a high-profile real estate agent, is struggling in the recession. Kit, in her fifties, has had it with her taunting older brothers. And Leah, a young mother of two, is starting over after ending a troubled relationship. All have reached a crossroads, and Dr. Bayer has an unconventional plan to steer them on the right track. As the class gets taken everywhere from a bowling alley to a shooting range, the women’s Tuesday meetings transform from tense, reluctant gatherings into richly rewarding experiments in female bonding.

The Yoga Club by Cooper Lawrence. Chatting it up with bendy WASPs is the last thing on Coco Guthrie’s mind during her 8:30 a.m. yoga class. Having made her fortune as the world-renowned inventor of Butt-B-Gone derriere cream, Coco still doesn’t feel like she belongs among the upper class— until she attends the swankiest Halloween soiree in Greenwich, Connecticut, where three of her fellow morning yogis shared her brilliant idea to appear as Sarah Palin. Soon it’s clear that a love of stretching isn’t all this accidental sorority have in common.

Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich. Kate Appleton needs a job. Her husband has left her, she’s been fired from her position as a magazine editor, and the only place she wants to go is to her parents’ summer house, The Nutshell. Kate’s plan is to turn The Nutshell into a Bed and Breakfast. Problem is, she needs cash. Matt Culhane wants Kate to spy on his brewery employees. Someone has been sabotaging his company, and Kate is just new enough in town that she can snoop around for him. If Kate finds the culprit, Matt will pay her a $20,000 bonus. Needless to say, Kate is highly motivated. But several problems present themselves. Kate despises beer. No one seems to trust her. And she is falling hard for her boss.