Library Notes Week January 25

I hope you made it safely through the snow storm last week. We were closed for several days due to the weather. Just a reminder that the library policy states if the La Conner Schools close because of the weather we also close. We fudged a bit by opening Thursday and Friday, since we were able to get some of the staff to the library safely. We don’t want anyone getting hurt trying to return a library book. Let’s hope that was the worst of our Winter weather.

We got a new batch of books in. Maybe you would be interested in checking one out.

77 Shadow Street by Dean R. Koontz. The Pendleton stands on the summit of Shadow Hill, a Gilded Age palace built in the late 1800s as a tycoon’s dream home. Almost from the beginning, its grandeur has been scarred by episodes of madness, suicide, mass murder, and whispers of things far worse. But since its rechristening in the 1970s as a luxury apartment building, the Pendleton has been at peace. But now shadows caper across walls, security cameras relay impossible images, phantom voices mutter in strange tongues, not-quite-human figures lurk in the basement, elevators plunge into unknown depths. With each passing hour, a terrifying certainty grows: Whatever drove the Pendleton’s past occupants to their unspeakable fates is at work again.

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo. Two young women are found murdered in Oslo, both drowned in their own blood. The crime scenes offer no coherent clues, the police investigation is stalled, and the one man who might be able to help doesn’t want to be found. Traumatized by his last case, Inspector Harry Hole has lost himself in the squalor of Hong Kong’s opium dens. Yet when he is compelled, at last, to return to Norway—his father is dying—Harry’s buried instincts begin to take over. After a female MP is discovered brutally murdered, nothing can keep him from the investigation.

Soft Target by Stephen Hunter. Black Friday America’s largest shopping mall Suburban Minneapolis 3:00 pm. Ten thousand people jam the aisles, the corridors, the elevators, and the escalators of America, the Mall—a giant Rubik’s Cube of a structure with its own amusement park located in the spacious center atrium. Of those people, nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight have come to shop. The other twelve have come to kill.

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.