Links from the Staff - Week of November 30 - December 6, 2014

 Posted for all staff this week were: 

• Maggie M (SP) says: "Gosh I love best of lists..." (12/03/2014)

• It's soooo NPR to call it "NPR's Book Concierge" hee hee.
• http://apps.npr.org/best-books-2014/

•  From Melanie F (KL) - Greetings! (12/05/2014)

• Not only can you read steampunk, but you can live it, too... 
• http://www.citylab.com/housing/2014/12/what-the-world-doesnt-need-are-steampunk-luxury-condos/383352/

• A continuation from Maggie M's (SP) 'National Book Award Winners Announced' post to Stafftalk on Nov 21 ... (12/05/2014)
• A thoughtful and poignant response from winner Jacqueline Woodson to a offensive statement made by Daniel Handler as he was MC'ing the National Book Awards on November 19, 2014. The Pain of the Watermelon Joke by Jacqueline Woodson (The Opinion Pages - New York Times, November 28, 2014) 

Mystery ARC Giveaway!

A lovely box of Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) just arrived via snail mail from the folks at HarperCollins and there was one title with a January 2015 release date!  Unfortunately, it was too late to include the title on the November ARCs Around the Library list posted for staff on Friday, November 7th. 

Therefore, I am offering the ARC to the first SCCCLD staff member to request it by using the Comments link at the bottom of this post!

A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd (An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery)

About the Book

"New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd takes readers into Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge’s past—to his perplexing final case before the outbreak of World War I.

On a fine summer’s day in June, 1914, Ian Rutledge pays little notice to the assassination of an archduke in Sarajevo. An Inspector at Scotland Yard, he is planning to propose to the woman whom he deeply loves, despite intimations from friends and family that she may not be the wisest choice.
To the north on this warm and gentle day, another man in love—a Scottish Highlander—shows his own dear girl the house he will build for her in September. While back in England, a son awaits the undertaker in the wake of his widowed mother’s death. This death will set off a series of murders across England, seemingly unconnected, that Rutledge will race to solve in the weeks before the fateful declaration in August that will forever transform his world.

As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, all of Britain wonders and waits. With every moment at stake, Rutledge sets out to right a wrong—an odyssey that will eventually force him to choose between the Yard and his country, between love and duty, and between honor and truth."

Links from the Staff - Week of November 2 - 8, 2014

The following were posted for all staff this week:

• Alison G (Government Documents/Consumer Health IRM-MK) mentioned that while she was watching a Gov Docs webinar, she learned about two Deep Web search engines she had never heard of before. She suggested playing around with them. "They return great results!" (11/05/2014)

• Duck Duck Go 

• Deeper Web (powered by google) 

• In a reply to Alison's post, Brian B (Cataloger: GA) said "Duck Duck Go's biggest selling point is that it does not store your searches. Some users really like this and believe it protects their privacy from tracking software." (11/05/2014)

• Julie S (Children's Librarian-DR) saw the following on Facebook from Main Street Books (St. Charles, MO) and thought she would share. She also said "The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a fabulous book and well-worth buying for the book lovers on your Christmas list (or for yourself)!" (11/06/2014)

• It is official, Dear Readers- We have the power to bring NEIL GAIMAN to St. Charles! However, we will need your help! If Main Street Books sells the most paperback copies of THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE in the months of November and December, we can bring NEIL here in FEBRUARY! So please: come buy a copy. Buy two. Get one for a friend. Give a copy or three or five for Christmas. Pick it for your next book club (and get a special tote bag- ask us for details!). If we sell more copies that ANY independent bookstore in the country, we will be victorious! You have the power, Dear Readers. Show your love for Neil Gaiman- pick up your copy of THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE starting Saturday, November 1st! HELP US BRING NEIL TO ST. CHARLES! WE CAN DO IT!

 

Links from the Staff - Week of September 21 - 27, 2014

The following links were posted for all staff this week:

• Jim B (Director-SCCCLD) mentioned a Pew Research Center study on Millennials and Public Libraries at Adult Services meeting on Wednesday, Sept 24th. He said :"If you have not read the report I would encourage you to do so. It offers some very interesting perspectives on how those under 30 engage with libraries and think about the role of the library in their lives." (9/25/2014)
• Younger Americans and Public Libraries - PewResearchCenter - September 10, 2014   

• In a reply to Jim B's post, Laura W (ILL Dept) provided a link to "A similar study (which) was done by Partners for Progress of Greater St. Charles last November that, while not focusing on libraries, is specific to St. Charles County Millennials." (9/25/2014)
• Partners for Progress: Millineals Perceptions Study - Research Planning Group (RPG) November 5, 2014

• Melanie F (KL Reference) posted (9/26/2014) "It's drama time again on PBS!  Check out what's coming on this Sunday..."
• A Masterpiece Doubleheader - on PBS - Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014

Links from the Staff - Week of September 14 - 20, 2014

Posted this past week by your co-workers in the district:

• Louise P. Cheli (SP Reference) mentioned she "recently read Joyce Saricks article, "In Praise of Browsing," (Booklist Online) and as usual, (Saricks) had insightful observations, suggestions and ideas." (9/18/2014)

• Display idea from Joyce: "...pull titles only from those bottom shelves, where good books languish."
• Quotes from the above link: 
• "Browsing also gets us into the stacks, where we’re more likely to come upon readers and to start conversations. Librarians behind the desk can seem forbidding, but librarians loose in the stacks are fair game, more open to conversations and sharing titles." 
• "If we’re open to the power of browsing and the magic of serendipity, we become more open to all possibilities, more able to meet readers, listeners, and viewers wherever they are."
• Posted by Anna Sylvan (MK) - a TED talk from Mac Barnett ...(9/17/2014)
• "Childhood is surreal. Why shouldn't children's books be? In this whimsical talk, award-winning author Mac Barnett speaks about writing that escapes the page, art as a doorway to wonder -- and what real kids say to a fictional whale."

Links from the Staff - Week of September 7 - 13, 2014

Your co-workers out in the district often post links to interesting articles or information about events and programs on our internal listserv. I thought it might be fun to share those through the blog as well ... 

• Bill Ulrich (IT Dept) forwarded an interesting article about the benefits of childhood reading (9/8/2014): 
• Important Life Lessons We Learned From Children's Books (from Relax-and-read.com)

• For all PBS viewers, Melanie Foster (KL Reference) posted the following (9/12/2014): "Barring any last-minute pledge drives , here's what's coming up on PBS, beginning tonight ..."
• PBS Previews Newsletter - September 12 - September 18, 2014

• Sherri Pogue (MK Float Librarian) shared "an interesting article from CNN" (9/13/2014):
• Superbooks: High-tech reading puts you inside the story