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?

Library Notes week of December 13

We are very excited to be having the Knights of Veritas come to La Conner December 21 at 12:30. They are a non-profit charitable organization out of Moses Lake, specializing in interactive educational demonstrations of medieval arms, armor, combat, and knighthood. The program is a great one for all ages, so we thought holding it at the Senior Center during Winter Break would be the perfect thing. Mark your calendar and be sure to come.

Here are a few new books you might enjoy.

Valcourt Heiress by Catherine Coulter. After his older brother Arthur unexpectedly dies, Garron of Kersey returns home to Wareham Castle to assume his duties as the new earl. But the castle is nearly deserted, with only a few of its retainers hiding within. It seems that a few days after Arthur’s death, the “Black Demon” arrived at the castle and demanded Arthur’s fortune in silver. When they discovered that the castle’s residents know nothing about a treasure, the Black Demon and his men wreaked havoc. As Garron attempts to restore order to his new home, he is aided by a young woman named Merry. While Merry is smart, with a mouth to match, there is something a bit off about her story.

Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart. When Bailey Ruth Raeburn passed over into the great beyond, she was delighted to discover her sleuthing days would last an eternity. Joining Heaven's Department of Good Intentions, she uses her unique advantages as a ghost to help those in need and ensure the wicked get their just deserts. Bailey Ruth finds it more difficult than ever to keep up with her boss Wiggins's rules for good spirit deportment. Not only is the woman she is supposed to save determined to thwart Bailey Ruth's good intentions at every turn, she just so happens to be one of Bailey Ruth's oldest enemies. Not that that should matter to one of Heaven's best and brightest emissaries, but still, there is only so much a person can put up with—living or dead.

Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carre. Perry and Gail are idealistic and very much in love when they splurge on a tennis vacation at a posh beach resort in Antigua. But the charm begins to pall when a big-time Russian money launderer enlists their help to defect. In exchange for amnesty, Dima is ready to rat out his vory (Russian criminal brotherhood) compatriots and expose corruption throughout the so-called legitimate financial and political worlds. Soon, the guileless couple find themselves pawns in a deadly endgame whose outcome will be determined by the victor of the British Secret Service's ruthless internecine battles.

Library Notes Week November 15

The holidays are coming up fast. Maybe you need to check out some craft books so you can make some gifts. We have lots to inspire you.

If you like Science Fiction, stop in and check out one of these books from the new book shelf.

Gauntlgrym, Neverwinter by R. A. Salvatore. In their search for treasure and magic, Jarlaxle and Athrogate inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to lure even the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can’t stop it on their own.

Out of the Dark by David Weber. In the very near future, Earth has been targeted for colonization by a galactic empire known as the Hegemony. Deemed "lunatic local sentients" by a survey team that witnessed King Henry V and his troops slaughtering the French at Agincourt, humankind has essentially been written off as bloodthirsty, expendable barbarians. When the Hegemony's henchmen, the doglike Shongairi, show up to conquer Earth, the resistance is beyond anything they had ever imagined, especially when vampires appear to help the humans.

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan. The Last Battle has started. The seals on the Dark One’s prison are crumbling. The Pattern itself is unraveling, and the armies of the Shadow have begun to boil out of the Blight. The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age. Perrin Aybara is now hunted by specters from his past: Whitecloaks, a slayer of wolves, and the responsibilities of leadership. All the while, an unseen foe is slowly pulling a noose tight around his neck. To prevail, he must seek answers in Tel’aran’rhiod and find a way--at long last--to master the wolf within him or lose himself to it forever.