(Combined fiction and nonfiction list from various sources, in no particular order, compiled by E-Connect staff. Blurbs are from the publishers' advance PR materials.)
All the following titles are due to be issued in March. In some cases, the library hasn't yet ordered the title. If you would like to ask that any of the not-yet-ordered titles be ordered, please use this link: http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire. Thanks!
Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
Lamott's facing a lot: she's turning 50 as her mother struggles with Alzheimer's and her son acts like the teenager he is. And then there's international terrorism. So what's Plan B? Hope.
Impossible by Danielle Steel
Can widowed gallery owner Sasha find love with offbeat artist Liam?
Burned: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark
Ah, Hawaii, the perfect place for Regan Reilly to party with her best friend before getting married. If only there weren't a body floating off Waikiki, decked out with a precious lei. The large author tour will include publicity with the author's mom, Mary Higgins Clark.
What Comes After Crazy by Sandi Khan Shelton
With a cheating husband and a much-married fortune-telling mom, Maz Lombard longs for normalcy in vain. You've seen Shelton's prose in Family Circle, Redbook, et al.
Detour by James Siegel
Ready for a Detour with Siegal after being Derailed? The men who kidnapped Paul's infant daughter make a demand: transport lotsof cocaine or say good-bye to his family.
Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the new form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.
At the branches
Sing and Sign Storytime
February 7, 2005 at 10:30 am
For children ages 0-4. Join us for 40 minutes of singing, dancing, books, instrument play, and sign language with Melissa Ayotte (& Beebo the Bear!) from Sing and Sign.
This event will repeat the third Monday of every month. Join us again on March 21, April 18, May 16, and June 20th.
Arrive early as these storytimes will be heavily attended and space is very limited. For information call 415-507-4048. Sponsored by Civic Center Friends of the Library.
Computer Tutorials
Explore the Internet.
Use electronic information resources available through the library for finding magazine and newspaper articles, books to match individual reading interests, business resources, and more.
Get help with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
Access library information from the Web-based catalog.
Ask a reference librarian or call 507-4049 for more information.
The Brown Bag Book Club
On Wednesday, February 23, 12 noon to 1 p.m., the Book Club will discuss A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. New members are always welcome! For more information, call Becky or Livia at 499.6058 or e-mail to ldimare@co.marin.ca.us.
Art under the Dome
The January exhibit of paintings by members of the National League of American Pen Women: Golden Gate Branch continues through February 5. Beginning February 9, members of the Marin Photography Club (Vicki Rupp, Kevin Westerlund, Gene Morita, and Susan Stoddard) will exhibit images of nature. For more information about the Marin Photography Club, please visit http://www.marinphotoclub.org/.
In the Exhibit Case
The January exhibit of Stand by Me Comics by local cartoonist, Correy Harris, winner of an Honorable Mention Award for Cartoons, Hand Drawn/Single Panel at the 2004 Marin County Fair has been extended by popular demand through February. Sneak a peek at Correy’s work at http://fastrideproductions.com/Archives.html.
Making the Most of Value Line
On Wednesday, February 9, at 7 p.m. at the Corte Madera Library, Money Manager John Kosecoff will teach individual investors how to use Value Line as an effective investment tool. The Value Line Investment Survey is a comprehensive source of information and advice on approximately 1,700 stocks, more than 90 industries, the stock market, and the economy. Mr. Kosecoff has lectured on investment at Cornell University, New York University and other institutions. He has launched and managed three mutual funds. Using Value Line, he has developed an analytic approach to making investment decisions in an informed and consistent manner.
Writing From the Soul
Tuesday, February 15, 6:30-8:45 p.m. A free workshop facilitated by Susanne West, M.A. Explore writing for creative expression and spiritual growth. Learn how to overcome writing blocks and free your imagination. Call 457-5629 to register.
Book Club
The Fairfax Library Book Club meets the first Thursday of each month, 7-9 p.m. The titles for the next 2 months are:
February 3: Death in Venice, by Thomas Mann, who won a Nobel Prize in 1929.
March 3: Bee Season, by Myla Goldberg, a novel, ostensibly about a spelling bee, that offers glimpses into the Kabbala, cults and secret lives.
All books are available through the Fairfax Library. Click on the title for each book to access the library catalog for reviews of the book or to place a hold using your Marin County Free Library card. If you'd like to purchase your book, BookBeat in Fairfax offers our members a 15% discount.
Internet Tutoring
Free training with experienced computer professionals who will individualize the training to meet your skill level. Call 457-5629 to set up an appointment for a one-hour session.
Friends of the Fairfax Library
Next meeting Thursday, February 10, 7-9 p.m.
Meeting Room Gallery
Photographs by Robin Braunfeld
Author Reading
Come hear about the life and blacklisting of African-American actor Canada Lee. The mostly forgotten actor and activist is the subject of biographer Mona Z. Smith in Becoming Something: the Story of Canada Lee. Ms. Smith will speak at the Marin City Library at 7 PM, Tuesday, February 22, 2005. Call 332-6157 for more information. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Marin City Library.
Employment Opportunity
Library Branch Aide I
8 hours per month, $10.41 /hour
The Novato Library is looking for a bilingual storytime helper/shelver who is fluent in Spanish and English, to conduct an ongoing weekly storytime every Saturday for Spanish speaking families. Knowledge of children’s literature and/or experience reading to children is desirable, but not required. Job sharing is an option.
Duties include:
Assisting librarian with room set up and preparation of the storytime.
Reading books in Spanish to children, doing fingerplays, and helping with a simple craft project.
Helping to publicize storytime
Shelving books, periodicals and other library materials according to numerical or alphabetical order.
Straightening and correcting order of materials on shelves, keeping books vertical, edging books and checking for fallen books.
Clearing tables, straightening, and tidying the general library areas.
Ability to:
Speak in front of an audience.
Understand and follow oral and written directions.
Establish and maintain effective relationships with coworkers.
Understand library policies and procedures.
Learn the Dewey decimal system.
Candidate is required to complete a cursory physical exam provided by the County.
Submit a letter of interest or resume by February 14th to the Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd, Novato CA 94947 attention: Sandy
Tax Assistance
Volunteers from AARP will be at the library every Monday and Thursday, 10am to 2pm, from Feb. 3 through April 14, to assist seniors and low-income workers with basic tax questions. No appointment is necessary. For more information, stop by the reference desk or call 897-1142.
Internet Class
An intermediate Internet class will be offered Tuesday, Feb. 8, from 1pm-3:15pm. The volunteer instructor will discuss customizing browsers, managing bookmarks, using email, and interesting Web sites. Please sign up in advance at the reference desk or by calling 897-1142.
Storytimes
The children's librarians present lapsit storytimes for ages 18 to 36 months (with an adult) every Tuesday and Weds. at 10am. Preschool storytimes for ages 3 to 6 are offered Weds. and Saturday at 11am. For more information, call the children's desk at 897-1143.
Teen Advisory Council
Help the library improve services to teens! Any Novato resident age 12 to 18 is welcome to participate in our teen advisory council. The next meeting is Monday, Feb. 28, 3:30-4:30pm.
Friends of the Novato Libraries
The Friends group assists the libraries by raising funds, sponsoring programs, and fostering community involvement in the library. The group welcomes new members and meets next on Weds., Feb. 16, at 5:30pm in the Novato Library meeting room.
Best Time for Storytime?
South Novato Library is asking parents of young children when they would prefer to come for a storytime. South Novato is hoping to learn when are the best times to have storytimes and other suggestions from parents. Please print out our survey and mail it in or bring it to the library at your next visit. Thank you!
The "Homegrown Program" presented at the Stinson Beach Library will feature local author and publisher Lloyd Kahn. On February 28, starting at 7:30 pm, he will talk and present slides from his latest book, Homework.
At the Point Reyes Station Library, host Ana Maria Ramirez will present a bilingual storytime on February 10th, starting at 6:30 pm. The program will include a story in Spanish and English, crafts and refreshments.
Did you know that there are three ways to get your homework or reference questions answered online? Three! Count 'em, three!
Ask your questions via Instant Messaging!
Available Monday through Friday, 3pm-5pm. The librarians are often on IM at other times too (but from 3-5 you’re guaranteed to find someone)! For AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and Yahoo! Messenger, our screen name is MarinLibrary. For MSN Messenger, our screen name is MarinLibrary@hotmail.com.
Ask your questions via e-mail! We make every effort to respond within 2 days.
Ask your questions via web-based live chat! Chat any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a California librarian through the cooperative AskNow project!
So, what kinds of questions do we answer? Well, here's the "Virtual Reference Question of the Month" as an example!
Question: I am 21 and a new business owner. How can I learn about business ownership and marketing skills and ideas? I don't know too much about business management and would like to learn as much as I can without going to school.
Answer: The US government has a Small Business Administration with tons of free information for small business owners. The URL is http://www.sba.gov/. You can also look at Entrepeneur.com (http://www.entrepreneur.com/). It looks like they have a great deal of free resources for small business owners as well--particularly new businesses. Those look like the two best free online resources. If you're looking for books to read, I suggest searching the library's online catalog (you can also do this in the library, or call your local branch to get assistance from a reference librarian). Try a subject search for "small business" or a keyword search for "small business." I tried those searches myself, and got hundreds of results, many of which looked useful for the things you're trying to learn.
The Library's webmaster is always trying to make our website more interesting, more useful, and more fun for all of Marin's residents. 2004 saw a number of great additions to the website and a lot of people coming to visit us! Here are some statistics from the last year...
The number of monthly visits to the website has increased 49% over the last year, with 334,886 visits to the Library’s website in 2004.
In 2004, we added about 500 new pages to our website--chock full of useful content for you, our beloved patrons! Some of the new additions are:
The 2005 Newbery & Caldecott winners were announced last week. The two most prestigious awards in children’s literature, they are likened to the “Academy Awards” of children’s book publishing. The Newbery and Caldecott medals honor outstanding writing and illustration of works published in the United States during the previous year. Cynthia Kadohata, author of Kira-Kira, was awarded the Newbery Award, and Kevin Henkes, illustrator and author of Kitten’s First Full Moon, was awarded the Caldecott medal. For a complete list of award winners see The American Library Association website at http://www.ala.org and visit your local branch to check out past winners for a good rainy day read.
Have you just finished a good book, but don't know what to pick up next? Your friendly local librarians have created a huge list of booklists on a variety of topics--everything from Da Vinci Code Readalikes to science fiction, from books for the armchair traveler to legal thrillers, and from Marin authors to international fiction. Check out our Recommended Reading page find a new good book you never knew existed!
The Library has just purchased a new online collection of eBooks: Baker & Taylor Consumer Law eBooks. And better yet, you can access it from home with a library card from any Marin public library!
This collection contains eBooks, in PDF format, of around 200 of the most popular consumer law eBooks. And, all the printable forms are included. Some of the titles you can find are:
Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business
Save the Date!
Thursday, February 10, 2005, 6:00-8:00 pm
Citibank, 666 Third St., San Rafael
Mark your calendar now, so that you don’t miss our first annual silent auction fundraiser.
CitiBank and the Marin Literacy Program Advisory Board are holding a fundraiser for the literacy program. The event will feature many splendid silent auction items, including several pieces from Sharper Image, special dinners and donations from local businesses. It will be an opportunity to find the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your special someone. Attendees will enjoy delicious hors d’ oeuvres and local entertainment, while perusing the array of silent auction items. Marty Rubino, President and Publisher of the Marin Independent Journal, will be the Master of Ceremonies.
Come celebrate our achievements and help us grow!
Visit the California Room Digital Archive to learn more about Marin County history. Our oral history site now contains 57 interviews, including 13 which have just been added. Among the recently added interviewees are Rose Briones (1883-1983), granddaughter of the grantee of Rancho Baulines; Walter Brown (1888-1980), the son of the coachman for the Kent family; John MacPhail Jr. (1932-1991), who tells of his family’s business, McPhail's, Inc., established in 1884; and Boyd Stewart (1903-2004), who discusses his life and the history of West Marin.
Come listen to us on the radio! The Library's own Dan Carr (Community Library Specialist at the San Geronimo Library) is now doing a monthly radio program about the library! You can listen to Dan on the last Wednesday of each month, from 10:00-11:00 am on KWMR, 90.5 FM Point Reyes, 89.3 FM Bolinas. February's show will air on Wednesday, February 23rd.
Bargain Sunday is February 6! Lots of books will be on sale, including biography, education/writing, fiction and mystery hardbacks—all at 50%! Mystery and romance (Valentine's Day is coming up!) paperbacks will be 4/$1.00! The shop will be open from noon to 4 pm on Bargain Sunday.
Look for our television commercial running on cable channels ESPN, TNT, Fox News, the History Channel, FX, Court TV, Hallmark and the Travel channel now through March. We were able to get a terrific price for the ads through the Novato Chamber of Commerce, so we're trying it out to see if it brings many more customers to The Book Place.
The Fifth Annual Book Super Sale is coming up soon! The sale will be March 12-13 at the National Guard Armory. More than 30,000 books will be arranged in 30 categories, and there will be a large selection of Better Books, as well. You can help! Tell your friends and neighbors about the sale, donate books to your local branch library or directly to The Book Place, and volunteer to help at the sale (it's really fun!) Call co-chairs Betty Breeze (883-6182) or Ruth Arnold (892-0238) to
volunteer, or for more information.
The Book Place is operated by the knowledgeable Friends of the Marin County Free Library, a nonprofit volunteer organization. All profits are used for special programs, needs, and materials for the Marin County Free Libraries.
The Book Place
1608 Grant Ave, Novato
Tues/Thurs/Sat 10-4; Wed 12-4; Fri 10-8 pm; Sunday 1-4 (noon-4 on Bargain Sunday—the first Sunday of the month)
415-878-0212
