Anne Recommends: Cookbooks for Kids

Posted by Anne W.

If you have a young chef at your house, you will want to be sure to check out our Children’s Library’s kids’ cookbooks.  We recently updated our children’s cooking section with a wide range of kid-friendly titles.  Learn how to make Dora the Explorer’s tortilla soup in Dora & Diego Let’s Cook, or Princess Tiana’s mac and cheese in Tiana’s Cookbook:  Recipes for Kids.  Our cookbooks also include those written by celebrity chefs, including Paula Deen, Emeril Lagasse, Sandra Lee and Annabel Karmel.  Cooking together is a fun way to spend quality time with kids, and little hands always love to help!  So, be sure to stop by and take advantage of what your library has to offer!

Remember when you were little?

Posted by Anne W.

Today is National Children’s Picture Book Day!   We invite you to come and celebrate at the Library by selecting some of the great picture books in our collection.  Read a classic, a family favorite, or one of our newer additions.  If you need help in selecting a book, stop by the Youth Desk and one of our staff members will be happy to make suggestions.  While you’re here, try out the Youth Department’s new, big, comfy chairs that are perfect for sharing books together! 

   

Some of our favorite picture books include: 

Anne W.: any picture book written by Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes, or Keiko Kasza

Turtle's Penguin Day by Valeri Gorbachev

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Eloise by Kay Thompson

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon

Hi, Pizza Man by Virginia Walter
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

Amanda E.:  anything written by Eric Carle and the Little Critter series

Katherine R.:– Boris and the Wrong Shadow and Smile! both by Leigh Hodgkinson

Abby V.: The Sunflower Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs

Alana T.: anything by Richard Scarry

Karen K.: Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry

Extra Anchovies.....

Posted by Staff (mostly Jacob D.)

"If I have one operating philosophy about life, it is this: 'Be cool to the pizza delivery dude; it's good luck.' Four principles guide the pizza dude philosophy.  Principle 1.  Coolness to the pizza delivery dude is an practice in humility and forgiveness.  I let him cut me off in traffic, let him safely hit the exit ramp from the left lane, let him forget to use his blinker without extending any of my digits out the window....His pizza light atop his car glowing like a beacon reminds me to check myself as I flow through the world." An excerpt from Be Cool to the Pizza Dude an essay by Sarah Adams published in This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women Edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman.

Pizza related movies available through the library:

Mystic Pizza (1988) 80's movie set in a pizza shop starring Julia Roberts

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) Overgrown turtles eat pizza and fight crime

Spaceballs (1989) Mel Brooks Star Wars spoof, features a character named Pizza the Hutt

Do the Right Thing (1989) Danny Aiello's character runs a pizzaria

Loverboy (1989; not owned by the LCLS) Patrick Dempsey plays a pizza delivery boy with something extra for the ladies who order anchovies

The Sopranos (television series 2000-2006 ) Important quote by Christopher, "Don't disrespect the pizza joint".

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) A young Sean Penn stars in one of the best pizza delivery scenes in a movie.

A Touch of Frost

Posted by Cary H.

Another must-see for all you British Mystery Fans!  I continue to explore our viewing and reading options, and have come across yet another great mystery series that has been around for years, but not that familiar to American audiences.  Running from 1992 to 2010 (one of the longest running series in Britain), this police procedural has a great cast of characters and an identifiable, and yes, lovable, Detective Inspector in Jack Frost.

For those of you who have enjoyed the Inspector Lewis and Midsomer Murders series, A Touch of Frost is slightly more down to earth than Lewis's Oxford, and more realistic than quirky Midsomer County.  At first I wasn't sure what to think.  Jack is no handsome leading man, but his feisty, impatient nature, and unorganized, bedraggled personal life draws you in.  Before long you're craving his white bread, bacon & ketchup sandwiches, hoping he finds time for a good night's sleep, and wishing you could buy him a new coat!

I think you'll get hooked as I have.  Luckily, there are 15 sets to enjoy, and all available in our regional library system.  Request them by clicking here.

Reference Question of the Month

Posted by Judy T.

Spring officially arrived on Sunday, March 20, and when the weather actually improves, we all start thinking about “spring things”—bike rides, flowers, birds…and the list goes on.  One of the most interesting birds to watch is a hummingbird, and one of the questions we’ve been asked at the Reference Desk, more than once, is “Where does a hummingbird’s hum come from?”

Answer:  The hum of a hummingbird comes from the quick beat of its wings.  The smallest birds beat their wings up to 80 times per second.  Bigger birds beat their wings more slowly at approximately 10 to 15 times per second.

Source:  World Book Encyclopedia

Check out this site from the San Diego Zoo for more information about these fascinating birds  http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-hummingbird.html

Better Living Through Chemistry

Jean-Baptiste Simeon Chardin, A Chemist in His Laboratory, 1734

Posted by Alana T.

It has been one hundred years since Marie Curie received her Nobel Prize in Chemistry (she, her husband Pierre and Antoine Becquerel also shared a Nobel in Physics awarded in 1903).  In that time, our knowledge of Chemistry has advanced considerably and changed nearly every aspect of our lives.  In recognition of the achievements of this branch of science, 2011 has been declared the International Year of Chemistry by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  This is a great time to visit the library and brush up on your knowledge.

Back in the day, I was a Biochem major.... and I didn't even like Chemistry!  I know more than I would like to admit about molecules, but I don't often enjoy reading about them.  Listed below are a few exceptions.  If you want to expand your knowledge, do a little research, or just understand how your toast browns, the following books are interesting reads.

Nature's Building Blocks: An A - Z Guide to the Elements by John Emsley.  The one chemistry class I enjoyed was Inorganic Chem; basically a romp through the periodic chart.  All the amazing details and quirky characteristics about every element, no math, and super fun lab experiments.  This book is that class on paper.  Lots of fun details about each element through history, it's uses, manufacture and so much more; no heavy duty brain action required here. 

Elements of Murder: A History of Poison by John Emsley.  Perhaps you've always wanted to write a murder mystery and need to do some research, or perhaps you want to check up on the accuracy of a recently read plot.  Either way, the info you need is here. 

On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee.  The author of this tome is a food chemist, not someone interested in tasty recipes, but instead on how ingredients work together to create the foods we eat.  The book is arranged somewhat like a dictionary with everything you wanted to know about a wide range of ingredients.  Is there really a difference among all the types of flour on the market?  Will this have an affect on the cake you want to bake?  The answers are here.  If you are a serious foodie, this book is a must read.

The Radioactive Boy Scout:The True Story of a Boy and His Backyard Nuclear Reactor by Ken Silverstein.  I can't remember where I ran across a reference to this story, but I didn't believe it at the time.  I read the book, and all I can say is "Wow!"  David Hahn, a teenage boy scout from Illinois, took it upon himself to collect samples from every element in the periodic chart.  The problem is, many are rare and quite a few are radioactive.  None the less, David succeeded with (unknowing) help from a variety of government agencies.  His next step goal was to build a nuclear reactor and save the world's energy problems.  A worthy goal, but his techniques were incredibly dangerous.   Is this the story of a reckless teen with no respect for authority,  the tale of an educational system gone wrong, or a real-life example where a little knowledge can be too much of a good thing?  Read the book and decide for yourself.

Other books of interest (recommended by Booklist):

The Curies: A Biography of the Most Controversial Family in Science by Brian Dennis

The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery that Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler by Thomas Hager

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks

An excerpt from Areopagitica

Jost Amman, Printer's Workshop, 1568.

Posted by staff

"....Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them.  I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men.  And yet, on the other hand, unless wariness be used, as good almost kill a man as kill a good book.  Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye.  Many a man lives a burden to the earth; but a good book is precious life blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life...."  from Areopagitica by John Milton

Most people today think of John Milton only as the author of Paradise Lost, but he was also a civil servant and scholar.  Milton's works are extensive and cover subjects in philosophy, politics, and theology as well as poetry.  He wrote Aeropagitica in 1644 during the English Civil War.  The speech was in response to The Licensing Order of 1643 that would 1) require pre-publication licensing of all written materials, 2) registration of all printed materials, 3) search, seizure, and destruction of any printed materials offensive to the government, and 4) arrest and imprisonment of any writer, printer, or publisher.  The speech is considered to be one of the most influential defenses of press freedom ever written.

If you would like to read the entire speech, request the item here.

If you would like to request any other of John Milton's works from the library system, request them here.

What's Better Than a Free Book? How About a Million of Them....

Posted by Alana T.

One million books (40,000 copies each of 25 different titles) were distributed free last Saturday night across the UK and Ireland in celebration of World Book Night. The goal was to have 20,000 members of the public distribute 48 books to others who may not have access to books, or who are reluctant readers.  The remaining copies were distributed to prisons, hospitals and other locations where books may not be easily accessible.

A committee selected 25 titles that cover a wide range of literary genres and time periods, with the hope that there was something in the list for every type of reader.  The founders of World Book Night are optimistic that distribution of free books and positive publicity about the joy of reading will encourage everyone to strengthen their relationships with books.

A number of events publicized the celebration, culminating in public readings by a variety of authors in London.  Other writers gave interviews in British newspapers (read one by Margaret Atwood), on television and on the radio.  Interestingly, some of the press about the event was negative, with a few booksellers concerned that giving away books was eating into their bottom line.  However, the general opinion was that World Book Night was a wonderful celebration of books and the joys of reading a good story.

Most of the titles are available through the library system.  Click on the link above to read descriptions of each book, and if any look interesting to you, request them here:

A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry
Agent Zigzag by Ben MacIntyre
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gariel Garcia Marquez
Northern Lights (The Golden Compass in the U.S.) by Philip Pullman
One Day by David Nicholls
Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes
Stuart by Alexander Masters
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carre
Toast by Nigel Slater

Documentaries of Distinction

Posted by Staff

When perusing our DVD shelves, don't walk past the non-fiction section thinking that we only have a bunch of how-to videos.  We carry a wide variety of DVDs and many are documentaries; short films whose purpose is to inform or accurately portray a subject.  Topics can range from light-hearted to grim, but all provide interesting, thought-provoking stories.  Next time you are looking for something new to watch, try a documentary.

Following are a few staff suggestions:

Gwen B.:  

Devil's Playground (DVD, 2002)  Amish teenagers experience the outside world before deciding which life they will choose.

Let the Church Say Amen (DVD, 2004)  Parishonors of a Washington DC church become a symbol of community and dedication.

The Azusa Street Project (DVD, 2006).  A history of the pentecostal movement in the United States.

Evan E.: 
Exit Through the Gift Shop (DVD, 2010)  A French shopkeeper and an amateur filmmaker locate and film Banksy, the infamous graffiti artist whose identity remains unconfirmed.








Alana T.:

The Art of the Steal (DVD, 2010)  The story of Dr. Albert C. Barnes' 25 billion dollar art collection and the legal wrangling for control over it's future.

Hearts of Darkness (DVD, 1991)  The riveting documentary of the making of Apocalypse Now; equally as good as the movie, perhaps better.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (DVD,2003) The quirky story of a man who becomes involved with flocks of urban parrots in San Francisco; the parrots are the real stars here.

Pam O.:

Hoop Dreams (DVD, 1994) The lives of two African American boys who struggle to become college basketball players.

Spell Bound (DVD, 2004)  An engrossing film following eight contestants of the 1999 National Spelling Bee.










Jacob D.:

Restrepo (DVD, 2010) "A year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan."

Unforgivable Blackness (DVD, 2004)  The story of Jack Johnson, the first African American Heavyweight boxing champion.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil (DVD, 2008)  A film about the beginnings (& endings?) of heavy metal music and true friendship
anything by Ken Burns

Dani G.:

The National Parks: America's Best Idea (DVD, 2009) A history of the U.S. National Parks system, directed by Ken Burns and shown on PBS.

Cary H.:
Art21 (PBS; not owned by the LCLS) -- Fantastic interviews with artists in the 21st century -- themed episodes can be watched online.

Judy T.

Food, Inc. (DVD, 2009) Well-documented and very revealing insights about the food you eat and how it is produced; you'll probably remember it the next time you go to the grocery store.

Come and See the Changes at the Youth Library!

Posted by Anne W.

Anyone who has visited the youth Department in the last couple of months will have noticed that we were making some big changes!  now the jackhammers have stopped, the carpeting has been laid, the books are back in order, and we would like to invite everyone back to see the progress!

When we began planning our Youth Library renovation, the areas that we wanted to focus on were increasing shelving space, adding comfortable seating, creating a larger teen area, and relocating the preschool play section within the view of library staff.  In order to accomplish this, we replaced the previous ramp with a more space efficient one, allowing us room to expand our teen space and to create an easily viewable preschool play area.  W also reconfigured the shelving arrangement to further maximize our space.  This might mean that many of your favorite books will be in different locations the next time you visit, but any of our staff members will be happy to assist you in finding what you are searching for.

You will also notice the fun new carpeting, located throughout the Youth Library, in the Archi Room, and in the Youth Computer lab.  In addition, the Archi Room's artwork display board has been replaced with a magnetic board.  the teen section was updated with trendy new furniture and a fresh coat of paint, making it an inviting space for our teen visitors.

Patrons should be aware that while the construction is finished, and the collection is accessible once again, we are still not completely finished!  Within the next few months, you will see comfortable seating near the picture book sections, as well as fun, interactive kids' furniture on the platform in the preschool play area.

We appreciate everyone's flexibility and understanding during our renovation, and we hope that you will enjoy your new space!

Putting Books to Work

Books, hard at work.

Posted by Alana T.

Perhaps you've heard of Google's attempt to digitize books and make them available to the public.  There has been controversy about this project for a number of years (mainly surrounding copyright issues), but so far, Google Books has managed to scan 12% of all books published (approximately 15 million books).  On the surface that many not sound like much, but it is an amazing feat.  The majority of books have been made available from university libraries around the world.  The works span the history of publishing (from the 1500's to the present) and represent many cultures and languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Russian, and Hebrew).

In a recent issue of Science, a number of scientists and The Google Books Team published one of the first evaluations of "the corpus."  The article describes a series of statistical analyses that provide insight into the evolution of grammar, cultural memory, censorship and other issues in "culturomics".

As an example, the team was able to follow changes in how irregular verbs become regularized over time.  The past tense of regular verbs is generated by adding -ed (jump/jumped), but irregular verbs are idiosyncratic (sing/sang or burn/burnt).  Some of these verbs are found in families and the analyses indicate that families behave differently.  Some change rapidly through time, others don't, and some are strongly influenced by the country in which they are used.

Okay, that may sound a bit boring, but think of the last time you picked up and read an older book.  The language is probably a bit different from that in contemporary books, the older a book is, the more peculiar the words may seem.  It may take a few pages, but eventually you get used to the oddities and can read without too much trouble.  Our language (and how we express our ideas) is changing all the time; books provide insight into these changes. 

To request the January 14 issue of Science, click here. (you will have to scroll down the page to find the correct issue.)

To view the Science web page and a summary of the article and other discussions of the project, click here.