The birth of literature...

Image from Chavet Cave (visit the website)

“Literature was not born the day when a boy crying ‘wolf, wolf’ came running out of the Neanderthal valley with a big grey wolf at his heels:  literature was born on the day when a boy came crying ‘wolf, wolf’ and there was no wolf behind him.”  Vladimir Nabokov

Request works by Nabokov

And the Winners Are..

Posted by Staff

The ALA announced the winners for this year's awards for children's literature.  You may be familiar with the Caldecott and Newberry, but there are a number of others; all celebrate the diverse world of children's books.  There are too many awards and books to list here; please follow the links to learn more. Whether you have kids at home, or are just young at heart, all of these books deserve a read.  Request one today.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of 19th century illustrator Randolph Caldecott and is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book (former winners). The 2012 winner is A Ball for Daisy, written and illustrated by Chris Raschka.  Honor Winners are Blackout, written and illustrated by John Rocco, and Grandpa Green, written and illustrated by Lane Smith.

The Geisel Medal is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the U.S. during the preceding year (former winners). The 2012 winner isTales for Very Picky Eaters, written and illustrated by Josh Schneider.  Honor winners are I Broke My Trunk, written and illustrated by Mo Willems, I Want My Hat Back, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen and See Me Run, written and illustrated by Paul Meisel. 

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children (former winners).  The 2012 winner is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.  Honor winners are Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai and Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.  The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery.

The Sibert Medal is awarded annually to the most distinguished informational book published in the U.S. in English during the preceding year (former winners).  The 2012 winner is Balloons over Broadway:  The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet.  Honor winners are Drawing from Memory, written and illustrated by Allen Say, Black & White:  The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene ‘Bull’ Connor, written by Larry Dane Brimne, The Elephant Scientist, written by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson, photographs byCaitlin O’Connell and Timothy Rodwelland and Witches!:  The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzerand.

Other awards include the Batchelder Award, the Belpré Medal, the Carnegie Medal, the Odyssey Award and the Wilder Award.

Are you a weekend athlete?

Posted by Staff
Stuck inside during the dreary months, but pining for warmer weather and the athletic activities they bring?  Here are Booklist's selections (and descriptions) of the best sports books from the past year.   Request one or two and let them tide you over till the weather warms. 

21: The Story of Roberto Clemente written and illustrated by Wildrid Santiago.  A graphic-novel style biography of the Puerto Rican ballplayer.

All In by Jerry Yang.  The Laotian immigrant had never played a game of cards in his live when he decided to give poker a try.  The story of his march to victory in the 2007 World Series of Poker is amazing.

Cardboard Gods by Josh Wilker.  An engaging memoir about coming of age through baseball cards.

Crazy Basketball: A Life In and Out of Bounds by Charley Rosen.  The author spent a year coaching in the minor-league Continental Baseball Assoc., and here recounts that wacky experience.

In the Blink of An Eye by M. Waltrip and E. Henican.  Written by the driver who won the race the day Dale Earnhardt died, this is a tribute to one of racing's greatest athletes.

The Last Boy by Jane Leavy.  The author approaches the life of baseball icon Mickey Mantle from the mixed perspectives of fan, journalist, and personal acquaintance.

No Shortage of Good Days by John Gierach.  When a fishing writer quotes Jamaica Kincaid to justify buying a bamboo fly rod, you know you're in for something different; wit and insight in abundance.

The Perfection Point by John Brenkus.  In this fascinating exploration of human athletic ability, Brenkus shows us when we will reach our absolute limit of performance and what it will be.

River House by Sarahlee Lawrence.  This arrestingly written memoir describes the author's life as a world-traveling river guide both on the water and at home.

The Joy of Books

Posted by Alana T.

As kids, we all had fantasies about what happened when we left a room and turned out the lights.  The owners of Type, a bookstore in Toronto, have made those reveries into reality.  Along with 20 volunteers over a series of nights, the owners created this delightful animated short.  Clearly, this is a huge amount of work (and careful planning). The music was composed by Grayson Matthews specifically for the video.  Who knows, maybe something like this happens when we turn out the lights here at the library.

Our Reading Resolutions

August Renoir, Girl Reading, 1874

Posted by Staff

The new year brings out the listmaker in most of us, and we're no different here at the library.  We've compiled a list of resolutions to improve our reading habits.  At the end of the year, we'll post again to see how we did.

Sara S.: I resolve to finish more books that I start and to start journaling/recording my books.

Alana T.: I will read one classic (I've never read before) every other month.

Amanda E.: Read a larger percentage of the books I check out.

Evan E.: I will read The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo series and finish reading Player One.

Joyce D.: I will read some of the books I have at home before checking out more.

Deanne H. and Leslie A.: Stay awake at night through at least one chapter!

Cary H.: I will try to find more library audiobooks for my iPod instead of buying them!

Melissa H. : I just want to read more than I usually do (did)!

Ike D.: Feel less guilty about reading on my day off.

Megan R.: Read more, Facebook and Twitter less :)  Check out more audiobooks!

Dani G.: Read every month for educational (but fun) purposes!  Oh, and more fantasy books.

Steampunk: Part 2, Recent Publications

Alphonse du Neuville, Captian Nemo from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 1863

Posted by Alana T.

A previous post described the steampunk genre and provided a list of some early works.  The following is a list of more recent works (post mid-90's to present) and represent some of the best and well known examples.  All are entertaining and good reads!

The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson. Futuristic steampunk, set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin.

The Steampunk Trilogy by Paul Di Phillipo An outrageous romp about the replacement of the Queen of England with a giant salamander and two more equally engaging tales.

Boneshaker by Hugo Award nominee Cherie Priest. Zombies, motherhood, and a radical rewrite of the history of Seattle.

Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia  Mattie, an intelligent automaton finds herself caught in a conflict between gargoyles and the Mechanists and Alchemists.

Steampunk edited by A. & J. Vandermeer.  A selection of short stories that feature a dazzling variety of steampunk ideas.

The Mainspring Series by Jay Lake is set on a giant clockwork world.  In the series, an apprentice clockmaker must find the lost key that will start the world turning again.

The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer.  A future/past story that includes a sentient dirigible with a theme that borrows heavily from Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Meet the Staff: Mason S.

Portrait of Mason S. by Summer, age 5

How long have you worked at the library?  I'm a few months into my second go-around.  Before that, nine years.

How many items do you have checked out now?  ten

How many items are on your hold list?  one

What book can you read again and again without losing interest?  Why do you still read it?  I've sort of fallen out of  love with a lot of books I used to hold dear.  On that has stayed around is Gary Snyder's Poetry and Essays.  He always makes me want to climb a mountain.

What aspects of the library do you think are underutilized?  I never really appreciated the databases until I was halfway through college.  Now I couldn't imagine conducting research without them.

What is your favorite book format?  99% dead tree edition.

What is your favorite aspect of working at the library?  The people - just about everybody I know is via the library.

What books do you feel guilty for not having read?  I keep beginning to read Ulysses and then begin a 'quick read' and lose my place.  The first half if brilliant, though.

Have your reading habits changed since working in the library?  If so, how?  I don't believe I had ever read a young adult book.  I really love being able to read a book in a few sittings.

What is your perfect reading environment?  Anywhere and everywhere I have time.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what single genere of books would you want with you?  A copy of Ulysess would be nice; I may finally finish.

What was your favorite children's book when you were a child?  What is your favorite now?  I wore out two copies of Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go before I could read it to myself.  Now I'm in love with Emily Gravett - especially Wolves.

Before you worked here, what was your worst library transgression?  Mis-shelving... overdues... lost books... everything at once.

And the Answers Are...

Posted by Judy T.

The answers to last week's posted questions:

1.  2012 is the Year of the Dragon

http://chinesenewyear2012.net/

2.  Queen Elizabeth has reigned for 60 years and will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.  She became Queen upon the death of her father, King George VI, on February 6, 1952. Although she was proclaimed Queen immediately, it was more than a year before the Coronation took place.

http://www.2012queensdiamondjubilee.com/biography/coronation

3.  Leap years are necessary because the actual length of a year is about 365.242 days, not 365 days, as commonly stated. Basically, leap years occur every 4 years, and years that are evenly divisible by 4 have 366 days. This extra day is added as February 29th. However, there is one exception to the leap year rule involving century years, such as the year 1900. Since the year is slightly less than 365.25 days long, adding an extra day every 4 years results in about 3 extra days being added over a period of 400 years. For this reason, only 1 out of every 4 century years is considered as a leap year. Century years are considered as leap years only if they are evenly divisible by 400.

http://www.nist.gov/pml/div688/grp40/enc-l.cfm

4.  The Mayans Long Count Calendar began in 3,114 B.C., marking time in roughly 394-year periods known as Baktuns. Thirteen was a significant, sacred number for the Mayas, and they wrote that the 13th Baktun ends on Dec. 21, 2012. The doomsday predictions associated with this date have been discounted by numerous individuals and government agencies around the world.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/2012-end-of-the-world-countdown-based-on-mayan-calendar-starts-today/

5.  The Girl Scouts

http://www.juliettegordonlowbirthplace.org/contents/display/60/100th-anniversary-of-the-girl-scouts.html

6.  London

http://www.london2012.com/

Free Music

Posted by Staff

If you are a music lover, you probably know you can request music CDs from throughout the system.  But did you know we have an on-line source for free downloadable music?  Yes indeed! No need to wait for the latest Adele CD, log on and download your favorite songs at your convenience.  The Freegal Music website has over 100 genres of music and is rich in many of them. The content is based upon an agreement with Sony Music Entertainment, owner of many different music labels.

To access the library of available music, you will need your Edwardsville barcode and PIN.  Go to the bottom of our webpage, click on the Freegal link, and away you go!

Freegal utilizes your browser to download music, so there is no need to install anything on your computer. You can download 6 songs per week (in the form of MP3 files); above 6, you add things to your wish list for download later.  You can then transfer the files to any device and they are yours forever.  If you have questions about this service, ask anyone at the circulation desk.  We're happy to help.

Top Romance Picks

Posted by Staff

These romance novels were reviewed during the past year by Booklist magazine.  If you're looking for something to heat up the winter chill, try one of these recent books.  Reviews and descriptions are summarized from Booklist.

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis. The author orchestrates a budding relationship between a commitment-shy former special forces pilot and a gutsy animal rescuer in the superlative launch of a new series set in Idaho's Bitterroot Mountains.

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  Everyone blames Meg for her best friend's decision to leave Ted at the alter in this RITA award winning lively romantic comedy.

Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage by Kieran Kramer.  How can Jilly run a respectable bookshop if her neighbor, A Royal Navy captain, keeps throwing wild parties?  A clever plot makes for a laugh out loud, sweet Regency romance.

The Counterfeit Bride by Nancy J. Parra.  In Parra's latest masterful historical romance, Lillian pretends to have an absent soldier husband when she opens a store in late-nineteenth century Colorado, only to have her bluff called by a man investigating a counterfeit ring.

The Lady of the Storm by Katherine Kennedy.  Blacksmith Giles is charged with protecting Cecily, who is half elf, in this superb story of suspense, magic, and passion, the second in the thrilling and distinctive Elven Lords series.

Lord Langley Is Back in Town by Elizabeth Boyle.  Lord Langley has a plan to outmaneuver his enemies, if only Minerva doesn't  decide to kill him herself in this Rita Award winner.

The Naked King by Sally MacKenzie.  Young Lady Anne Marston, secretly ruined, believes she isn't workthy of marriage, but the man called King of Hearts couldn't care less about the possible scandal.

Only Mine by Susan Mallery.  Alaska pilot Finn is furious when his twin brothers drop out of college to appear on a reality TV show, True Love or Fool's Gold.

Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser.  Italian immigrant and dressmaker Lucy Scarpelli finds herself in an unlikely friendship with a socialite, which leads to forbidden love and danger in this historical tale of resilient, uncompromising women.

Reference Question of the Month

Posted by Judy T.

As we anticipate the start of a New Year, we are wondering how much you know about what’s coming up in 2012. The answers to these question will be posted next week.

1.  In Chinese tradition each year is dedicated to a specific animal.  The Chinese New Year is January 23, 2012; it is the Year of the ??????

2.  Why is 2012 an especially important year for Queen Elizabeth?

3.  2012 is a Leap Year so there will be a February 29^th.  Why do we have Leap Years and how often do they occur?

4.  December 21, 2012 is the date marked by one ancient civilization’s calendar as the the end of an era that would reset the date to zero and allegedly signal the end of humanity.  What is this civilization?

5.  March 12, 2012 marks the 100^th anniversary of a well-known organization started by Juliette Gordon Low.  What is the organization?

6.  The 2012 Summer Olympic Games begin July 27, 2012.  In what city are they taking place?

We hope the New Year brings good health and much happiness to all of you~~

A new year of reading at the library

Posted by Staff
Let's start off the new year with a poem.  Enjoy the day!

Kiyonaga, Two Geisha and a Young Man, 18th century

New Year's Day--
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average.

Kobayashi Issa, 18th century Japanese Haiku master