Author Archives: Laura S

Strolling Through Life: It Pays to Have a Playaway

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I’ve recently moved on up to the east side, living the sweet life in the suburbs. OK, well, I didn’t actually move, I’ve been doggie sitting. But I’ve still been enjoying everything that the cushy life in the ‘burbs has to offer. The air smells like grilled cheese and everyone waves when you walk by. Most importantly, there are actual sidewalks, not just deer trails in the woods.

After the first mind-numbing 2 hour walk that this specific pooch requires (every single day), I realized I needed to find something to keep my brain busy while my feet are moving. Something small, portable, free and entertaining… hmm, I wonder where I can find that?

Lucky for me, I work in a place FULL of entertaining options (No, they don’t pay me to plug the library. Oh wait, yes, they do. (I’d do it for free anyway!))

Have you heard about our Playaway collection?

What’s a Playaway you ask? It’s an entire audio book that is preloaded on to an individual little mp3 player. No more switching CDs or carrying a Walkman or even worrying about downloading the Overdrive Console and using the eBook Project. Just plug in your head phones, slip it into your pocket and go. It’s the size of a credit card but it packs a wollup in the entertainment department!

There are tons of books that I can’t wait to listen to. There are over 600 different titles in the collection, including some of the most popular new releases, as well as titles for teens and kids. I have a hold on The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (read the the AMAZING Jim Dale), but we also have best sellers like:

Since I’ve started listening I’ve found so many other places to use my Playways. When I cut the grass, I use a Playaway. Sitting outside in the vague hopes that the sun will give me some vitamin D and I will no longer look like a sparkly vampire = Playaway! Vacuuming the house because my pets are a furry menace, that’s right, I’m listening to my Playaway!!

Check out all of our titles here, and remember we have Playaway View for your kids to watch too!

 

The Bad Boys of Historical Revisionism

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Do you ever wonder about random stuff? Say, do you ever think that maybe, just maybe, everything you’ve been told about history is a lie, that what you know is just what everyone wants you to believe? Sure, history says that events happened a specific way, but what if that’s only half the story? I don’t know about you, but I’m prone to daydreaming, and more often then not I find my thoughts traveling back in time and imagining A.) what it would be like to be in the past, B.) How things would be different from what I’ve been told and C.) What I could change if I was in the past. Books that play into these musings are my very favorite.

Now that I’m both a grownup AND working in a library I know that daydreaming is actually called speculating, and that these amazing books that tweak what we know of history are called Historical Revisionism. They’re part of a branch of fiction that focuses on what life would be like if just a few things were different, called Speculative Fiction. (Bear with me here, these terms I’m throwing around may sound fancy, but really they’re all just fiction at heart.) Think of some of your favorite books; maybe one where there are vampires living in Louisiana, or one where the South won the Civil War, or even one in which a dorky teenaged wizard battles for the fate of the world using a wooden stick and a scar. Speculative fiction at its best, baby.

I was so excited to see new books by two of my favorite revisionist authors on our New and Forthcoming List for March.

Seth Grahame-Smith is a master at changing how we look at history and the classics of literature. He helped us imagine what the world of Pride and Prejudice would be like if infested with zombies or if Abraham Lincoln really was a kick-butt vampire hunter. His newest book, Unholy Night, reimagines the tale of the Three Wise Men, casting them not as incense toting magicians on camels but as infamous thieves who stumble on that specific manger quite on accident. Shenanigans ensue as the unlikely group fights their way to Egypt, through historical figures and biblical myths alike. I CANNOT wait!

Christopher Moore is the is the sort of funny genius that we all secretly long to be. He takes the most ridiculously boring settings, say the court of King Lear or the missing years of Jesus’ early childhood, and turns them into the laugh-out-loud funny books that cause people to stare at you strangely in the waiting room at your dentist’s office. We just got our copy of his newest masterpiece, Sacre Bleu: A Comedy d’Art. When Vincent van Gogh ‘supposedly’ shoots himself, his friends Lucien Lessard and Henri Toulouse-Latrec set out on a quest to find to the truth through the brothels and bakeries of Paris. It has all of my favorite things; art, cognac, french bread and a very specific shade of blue. I mean bleu. Oh and cancan dancers, can’t forget those, love cancan dancers!

We’re Having a Wedding!!

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My best friend is getting married!

She and her fiance are planning on doing everything themselves (and by that, I mean we are planning, as I’ve never met a wedding I didn’t want to plan!) and it just so happens that I know a place that has the best of the best when it comes to wedding planning!

Really, The Knot guide to Destination Weddingsyou didn’t see that plug for the library coming? Seriously though, we do have an amazing amount of materials to help make your big day perfect, whether you’re making it a DIY affair or pulling out all the stops.

This week we checked out out all of the back issues of Bride’s Magazine as well as The Knot Ultimate Wedding Look Book to get an idea of what the lucky couple liked.

The bride-to-be checked out some pre-wedding workout DVD’s,The Women’s Heath Wedding Workout and The Buff Brides Countdown to Gown Workout so that she would be nice and svelte when it came time for dress shopping.

And since they asked me to take their wedding photos I’m planning on beefing up my photography skills as well. I’ve got a hold on The Wedding Photography Field Guide and The Art of Wedding Photography. You might have already read about how I’m taking a Universal Class in Digital Photography; I also discovered they have a course in Digital Wedding Photography, so I’m super excited to take that class next!

Know someone tying the knot soon? Check out some of these awesome DIY wedding ideas:

It’s not Procrastination, I’m Just Too Tired to Lift My Arms

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You know the best thing about Universal Class? I mean other than the fact that it’s free or the ridiculously amazing number of courses you can take of course.

It’s the fact that you can work at your own speed. Say, for instance, you are part of the team that opens a shiny new library branch, right in the heart of Clermont County’s shopping hub. The sort of amazing new branch where you opened more than 1,000 new library cards for patrons in the month of February or where almost 75,000 items have circulated so far this year (And that was back at the beginning of March when I first wrote this!)

Yeah, you might be kind of busy in an branch like that. But unlike other learning institutions, Universal Class lets you work around your schedule.

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t had the energy to do much of anything since you last heard from me. I scrapped the 365 Photo Project and I stalled out on Lesson 2 roughly three days after my last post. But I logged into my Photography 101 class this morning and was able to pick up exactly where I left off in January.

Lesson 2 is all about learning how to actually use my camera. We learned about adjusting settings like the white balance, shutter speed, and ISO, as well as about ‘tools of the trade’ that we might need like tripods, extra batteries, flashes and lenses. This was the hard core camera info that I was looking to learn! Our homework assignment was great; we just had to play around with the various settings and see how they changed images. I submitted the picture above, a composite of the same photo taken over and over at different shutter speeds for my homework. (That’s Darcy the Donkey, Gaelic Storm’s mascot if anyone was wondering.)

So that’s my story. I promise to have taken at least a few more lessons before I talk to you again. That being said, I’ve now signed up for Time Management 101 in addition to Photography. I think they might have some advice I can sorely use!

Live Concerts on DVD

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I haven’t been to a real concert in years.  It’s not that I don’t want to get out and see live music, it’s just not an option. If you’re like me you might just be lacking in the time and funds it takes to see amazing acts live in concert.

BUT! I’ve discovered the most amazing library material ever! We have DVDs of live concerts. Just imagine No fighting the crowds, no seeing past the guy with the weird hat. No nosebleed seats or getting rained on. Just perfect sound and a perfect view.

We have some amazing new concerts that have shown up in our New and Forthcoming DVD List recently.

Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall- Filmed on September 22, 2011 at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall, Adele’s bestselling hits from both of her albums, 19 and 21, are featured as well as several behind the scenes features. Since Adele swept the Grammys I expect there to be a high demand on this one, check out now before everyone figures it out!

The Best of Bluegrass Underground- Taped 333 feet below ground within the labyrinth of Tennessee’s Cumberland Caverns, contained is a compilation of the best of the twelve-part ‘musical adventure’ series. Featuring the top established and emerging artists within the booming genres  of bluegrass, Neo-Folk, gospel, roots, and Americana genres.

Looking for some other cool concerts to watch? Try these:

Oscar Picks: Based on the Book

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The Oscars are coming up soon and I can’t wait to see who wins this year. Awards season is my very favorite of all the seasons! Regardless of how the voting goes this time around, I already know the winner this year; its books! Eleven films based on books were nominated for one of the main awards, and two-thirds of the Best Picture nominations this year were based on books. If you’re itching to read the stories behind the movies try check out some of these.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo- nominated for Best Picture and Cinematography.

Hugo (Based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret) by Brian Selznick- nominated for Best Picture and Cinematography.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer- nominated for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett- nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress and two Best Supporting Actresses.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson- nominated for Best Actress and  Cinematography.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carre- nominated for best Actor (Check out the BBC miniseries as well).

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings- nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor.

*Moneyball by Michael Lewis- nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark- nominated Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor.

*The Iron Lady by John Campbell- nominated for Best Actress.

Albert Nobbs by George Moore- nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

*Did you know that we share materials with libraries all over the Ohio, so if there is an item you are looking for that is not in our system, chance are we can find it for you in our MORE system!

Dear Fancy Camera…

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lesson 1

Dear Fancy Camera,

  • Fact: You are an amazing camera.
  • Fact: I occasionally take amazing pictures with you, my amazing camera.
  • Fact: I have no idea how this happens, I’m pretty sure it’s dumb luck.

When my family all pitched in and bought you a few years ago I had dreams of grandeur; all the amazing things we were going to do and see and record for the posterity of the world. Then, I got you out of the box, took a look at all the buttons, knobs and unintelligible abbreviation and promptly set you to ‘Auto: No Flash’. And, with few exceptions, that’s where you’ve stayed. I know you’re capable of so much more, but every time I try to learn I just get confused and bogged down with jargon I don’t understand.

When the opportunity to use you as part of a Universal Class project for the library came up, I was stoked. Every year we try to complete Project 365 together and ever year I fail horribly because you scare me just a little. I thought that, maybe, this was the year, maybe this is the kick in the pants I need to learn how to actual use you so that together we could be awesome! I signed us up for Digital Photography 101, and as you might have noticed, we’ve been awfully busy learning about photography and cameras.

lesson 1.2So far things have been going great. No prior photography experience was needed for the class so we started out in a place I was comfortable in (that’s code for I had no idea what was going on and they took care of me.) I learned all about digital camera history, metering and picking out a camera (that was easy, I picked you!) before completing our first assignment.

You clearly already knew about The Rule of Thirds because you come with that cool grid inside your viewfinder, but I was fascinated in how framing a shot can make such a difference. Basically, if I draw a great big Tic Tac Toe board across your screen and then focus the most interesting parts of the shot in the places where any of the lines cross, the shot will be more dynamic, interesting and generally awesome. I think the shots we turned in for our homework were a great example of how that works! We’ll start our second lesson this week, so make sure you clean out your filters and charge your battery because it’s going to be a pretty exciting adventure!

Love,

Laura

P.S. If you want to see the photos that we’ve taken so far check out our flickr collection here.

Dirty Little Secret: Fiction Addiction

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touched by an alienIt’s 2 AM and really, I should have been asleep 4 hours ago. When I get to work in the morning it’s a guarantee that I’ll look like death warmed over. My co-workers, being the sweet, caring individuals that they are will ask if perhaps I was bitten by a zombie. And I’ll have to lie to them, because there is NO way that I would admit to spending 6 hours reading a book about steamy alien love triangles.

I’ve got a confession.

I’ve got a fiction addiction. And not just any fiction, not classy literary fiction or engrossing mysteries or even epic fantasies. I’ve developed an addiction to the fluffiest of paperback romance. Bodice ripping historical romance with vikings and highlanders. Steampunk epics with surly mechanical dukes. Or, this month, my new favorite, hunky extraterrestrials in love with spunky Earth girls.

When I first saw Gina Koch’s ‘Katherine ‘Kitty’ Katt’ novels I laughed. A lot. And then months later I was stuck home sick with nothing to read but the meager offerings of my sister’s book shelf. Given the option between War and Peace and Touched by an Alien there was no question as to which direction my day was taking.

Cheesy title and bizarre cover art aside, I loved it. LOVED it. Just the right amount of humor, action, romance and general ridiculousness to compliment a head cold and two shots of NyQuil. A take action, think later heroine and a tough but sensitive, wisecracking alien fight Big Fugly aliens for the survival of Earth, using their brains, heavy explosives and an extra loud iPod. Sold.

I won’t give away the plot but I’m already on book 3 of (so far) 4 book series with no intention of sleeping any time soon. And you know what? I’m not going to be guilty about my guilty pleasure anymore. I like books, allllllll kinds of books, and sometimes I just need the sort of mental break that only trashy romance can provide!

2012 Alex Award Winners

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Every year the American Library Association gives the Alex Award to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The awards have been given out yearly since 1998 and became an official ALA award in 2002.

While these adult titles have special appeal to teens, they also have great appeal to adults, such as myself who are young at heart, love Young Adult literature but are looking for more challenging reads or even those with a great sense of wonder in the world. These ten include, by far, some of the best books I read last year!

This years Alex Awards went to:

  • Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin- Sixteen-year-old Judy Lohden finds her three feet nine inches tall, incredibly talented self in the middle of a scandal, with the national media on her trail and the students at Darcy Academy, a local performing arts high school, involved in the mayhem.
  • In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard- Along with her best friend, the fourteen-year-old narrator navigates a 1970s American girlhood, including challenges from popular girls and the first hints of womanhood.
  • The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan- A modern love story told through a series of dictionary-style entries is a sequence of intimate windows into the large and small events that shape the course of a romantic relationship.
  • The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that manifests in fateful ways.
  • Ready Player One by Ernest Cline- Immersing himself in a mid-twenty-first-century technological virtual utopia to escape an ugly real world of famine, poverty, and disease, Wade Watts joins an increasingly violent effort to solve a series of puzzles by the virtual world’s creator.
  • Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson- A tale set in the near future finds the world thrown into chaos by rebelling artificial intelligences under the leadership of a murderous technology called Archos that kills its creator and takes over the global network, triggering an unprecedented united front among all human cultures.
  • Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward- Enduring a hardscrabble existence as the children of alcoholic and absent parents, four siblings from a coastal Mississippi town prepare their meager stores for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina while struggling with such challenges as a teen pregnancy and a dying litter of prize pups.
  • The Talk-Funny Girl by Roland Merullo
  • The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens by Brooke Hauser

Best of 2011: Music

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2011 was an awesome year for music. Artists from all genres released amazing works, and while we didn’t get around to listening to all of them, we like to think that these choices are the best of what the Library has to offer. In case you missed some, here are our favorite albums of 2011 (and if you loved something you got at the library this year and don’t see it on the list, tell us what in the comments!)

Florence + the Machine- Ceremonials This sophomore album from the ever magical Flo is chock full of romance, heartbreak and enough overwhelming vocals to please any fan. Try listening to ‘What The Water Gave Me,’ it and the rest of the album just prove, once again, that Florence IS a machine.

The Decemberists- The King is Dead Maybe its Colin Meloy’s exquisite vocabulary that speaks to the librarian in me, or maybe the roots-rock free for all sound, but this album stands apart from previous offerings as my favorite. And since that wasn’t sweet enough as it is, later in the year The Decemberists gave us Long Live the King; short and sweet, this mostly-acoustic love letter to Americana is a follow up to The King is Dead and the cherry on top of The Decemberists amazing year. Check out the awesome cover of Grateful Dead’s ‘Row Jimmy.’

The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow  Say what you will about the growing popularity of duet acts, The Civil Wars’ inspired debut album crushes them all. With astounding, soulful harmonies and a folksy, southern blues sound, this (surprisingly unmarried) duo have taken the music world and my stereo by storm. For the full, goose-bump raising effect try the title track, ‘Barton Hollow.’

The Foo Fighters- Wasting Light Dave Grohl and the boys unleashed their rock might upon the world with Wasting Light, and the Rock Gods approved. No need to fast forward, just start at track one, ‘Bridge Burning,’ and listen until the end.

Adele- 21 With her retro-soulful style, astounding vocals and deeply moving lyrics Adele’s sophomore album is a heartbreaking testament to the creative power of love and loss.  For a full shot of emotions and powerful sound try starting with ‘Rumour Has It.’

Rave on Buddy Holly A tribute CD of epic proportions, this homage to the Father of Rock released on what would have been his 75th birthday features offerings from a diverse and amazing range of talents. From Paul McCartney and Lou Reed to The Black Keys, She and Him, Cee Lo Green and Modest Mouse, the 19 tracks of this album prove that good music is timeless, and that rock ‘n’ roll is here to stay.

Ryan Adams- Ashes & Fire Adams makes his triumphant return to the land of new music with this personal, introspective album. Follow Mr. Adams into each song as he takes you on a ride through life as he sees it. Stay tuned till the final song, entitled ‘I Love You but I Don’t Know What to Say,’ a problem that everyone has run into in their life at some point.

Muppets: The Green Album Featuring artists from all parts of the music world this album proves what I’ve always known; The Muppets are the root of all good in the world. My Morning Jacket, Rachael Yamagata, Amy Lee, The Fray, Matt Nathanson and Weezer are just a few of those who take on the classic songs of our Muppet-fueled youth and breathe new life into them. For a taste try Ok Go’s strange and awesome rendition of ‘Muppet Show Theme Song,‘ or Andrew Bird’s touching version of ‘Bein’ Green.‘

Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues Fleet Foxes’ second album builds on the original sound they created for their debut. They continue to blend a harmony of voices while maintaining the beautiful rhythm that is their signature. They create an aura of sound that the ears really DO appreciate.

The Black Keys- El Camino A late comer to 2011’s best of list (I only managed to get an copy and listen to it last night), The Black Keys 7th album was well worth the wait. Running their own line somewhere between and beyond roots and glam rock, the guys cut loose with good, old fashion rock ’n’ roll that is reminiscent of the very best names in 60’s, 70’s and 80’s classic rock. If you’re a sucker for songs with hand-claps (and, oh, am I ever!) try listening to ‘Gold on the Ceiling.’

Gregg Allman- Low Country Blues Allman’s first record release since 2003 is a triumph of American blues sound. Built of heartfelt covers of vintage blues, the warm sound of Allman’s voice is full of down-home heartache just begging to be shared.  Take a listen to the only new song on the album, ‘Just Another Rider,’ a clear sequel to the Allman Brothers’ ‘Midnight Rider’ for a try of this fantastic album.

Drive-by Truckers- Go-go Boots  Drive-by Truckers continue to make great guitar driven, southern rock/country by combining great storytelling with a melody. All the tracks are great but start with ‘Used to be a Cop,’ and ‘Thanksgiving Filter,’ to gain a full appreciation.

Hugh Laurie- Let Them Talk Anyone who has watched House, M.D. over the years is aware that Hugh Laurie has a secret talent when it comes to music, but the BBC darling pulled out all the stops on his debut solo album. Being British hasn’t diminished his love of traditional blues and Let Them Talk is a homage to the music he loves. Listen to ‘Swanee River’ for a taste of Laurie’s piano driven flavor.

Mat Kearney-Young Love One of the rare albums this year which could easily play on repeat for the rest of my life, Young Love is the foot tapping 3rd CD from Kearney. Combining a mountain of singer/songwriter talent with a percussive, crowd pleasing pop sound this CD is the best of ALL worlds. I dare you not to sing and dance your way through ‘Hey Mama.

Laura is your friendly neighborhood Reference Guru and Eric works as a Super Library Assistant. You can visit Laura at the new Union Township Branch and Eric at the Amelia Branch.