The public libraries in Marin have just launched a new online database with thousands of free, full-text magazines and journals—at your fingertips! Gale InfoTrac OneFile provides 5,800 full text magazines and journals, with indexing for an additional 4,000+ titles.
Access popular titles like Newsweek, Time, and People at the click of your mouse. No need to go to the newsstand to buy dozens of magazine subscriptions. Just come to the library’s website, and you’ve got it all right there!
Anyone can access this database inside the library, and anyone with a card from any of the public libraries in Marin can access OneFile from home, work, or school. Just go to the Library's Databases and eBooks webpage, click on the link to Gale InfoTrac OneFile, and log in with your library card number and PIN.
If you have questions about Gale InfoTrac OneFile (how to access it, how to use it), please ask a friendly librarian!
Six out of ten Marinites say the main reason they visit the Library is to borrow or return an item. Others stop by to use the Internet, research a topic, or ask a question. 66% of our patrons visit one or more times a week! Here are a few other interesting statistics facts about the Marin County Free Library and recent activities:
Anne Kent and Carla Ehat, oral history project coordinators, November 3, 1978
Seven new oral histories shedding light on the history of Marin County have been added to the California Room Digital Archive. Among the interviewees are:
Anne Kent discussing the early days of Kentfield, the creation of Muir Woods and the establishment of the Marin Municipal Water District
Dr. Grace Dollar Dickson Kleiser, granddaughter of shipping magnate, Captain Robert Dollar, describing her life at Falkirk, San Rafael, and the family’s 500-acre ranch in San Geronimo Valley
Karl Untermann, telling the story of the West End Nursery in San Rafael; and Grace Wellman, detailing the history of the Marin Conservation League and the four women who founded it.
The Marin Literacy Program trains volunteer tutors to assist adults whose reading and writing skills are too low to be helped by other educational programs in Marin. Because students come to the program with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of formal education, all our workshops train tutors to develop skills for a variety of student needs. Trainees are instructed in multicultural awareness and learn to use a combination of materials developed specifically for adult learners.
No prior experience is necessary to become a Marin Literacy tutor. Training will be provided to anyone willing to commit to work with a student a minimum of 1 1/2 hours per week for at least 6 months. To learn more about the Marin Literacy Program and how you can make a difference, please call 485-3318 for an information packet and to reserve space at our next orientation:
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 11 or
Wednesday, November 2
San Rafael Public Library, 1100 E Street
We need volunteers! If you can spend 3-4 hours twice a month at The Book Place, please let us know! We'd like to find one or two people to help us sort and display books in the Children's Room, we need people on Wednesday mornings who can help to sort our huge stack of books, and we need many more sales people. If you like books, we will be delighted to train you to fill one of these important jobs. Call Cathy Scharf at 898-0106, please.
The Book Place is operated by the Friends of the Marin County Free Library, a nonprofit volunteer organization devoted to raising funds for the libraries. You can help by volunteering at the store (call Nancy Montgomery, 883-5628 or Cathy Scharf, 898-0106), by becoming a member of the Friends (call Ginny Schultz, 883-5488) and by donating books and buying books at The Book Place.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET CLASSES
The Marin County Free Library offers classes and one-to-one tutoring in computer basics, the Internet, e-mail, the Library’s online resources, Microsoft Word, Excel, and more. Please check our website for times, locations, and registration information.
BOOKCLUBS
Marin County Free Library branches host a wide variety of monthly reading groups. Club members meet each month for a lively discussion about a particular book or theme. Please check our bookclub listing for locations, times, selections, and contact information.
STORYTIMES
The Marin County Free Library offers storytimes at each of the branches for children in various age groups. Please check our Storytimes page for times and ages.
BOOKMOBILE
The Marin County Free Library Bookmobile visits geographically isolated communities throughout the County. Most stops are made twice within a four-week period each month. Copies of the Bookmobile schedule are available at all County Library branches and on the Bookmobile’s webpage.
Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, October 12th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
The Library Commission serves as a resource body and liaison to the Board of Supervisors, the County Librarian, and the community, working to find ways and means of enlisting public interest in supporting and improving Library services. This month’s meeting will be held at the Fairfax Library, 2097 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Fairfax.
Adult Literacy Tutor Orientation
Tuesday, October 11th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
The Marin Literacy Program is looking for individuals to volunteer as tutors for adults who need to improve their reading and writing skills. Find out more about the need for literacy tutoring in Marin, the programs offered, and how you can make a difference in someone's life by attending this 1.5 hour orientation at the San Rafael Public Library, 1100 E Street in San Rafael. Call 485-3318 to register.
Author Event at Book Passage
Tuesday, October 18th, 1:00 pm
Bestselling author Simon Winchester talks about his recently released book, A Crack in the Edge of the World. A master storyteller and Oxford trained geologist, Winchester's book sheds light on the devastation and repercussions resulting from the earthquake of 1906.
This program is sponsored by Book Passage and Bank of Marin . A portion of the proceeds from this special event will be donated to the Marin Literacy Program . For further information, please call the Literacy Program Office at 485-3318.
Digitization of Historic Materials
Wednesday, October 12th, 7:00 pm
The California Room will hold a community meeting at the Fairfax Library, 2097 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., to discuss the digitization project they will be undertaking in conjunction with a Library Services and Technology Act grant they recently received. California Room Librarian, Laurie Thompson, will discuss the historical materials which will be digitized and how California Room primary source materials will be disseminated to a broader audience, via the Online Archive of California.
Computer Tutoring
Explore the Internet and learn the basics of setting up a free e-mail account, sending and receiving messages, and accessing e-mail. Learn to 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.
Storytimes
Toddler Storytime, Wednesdays, 10:30 to 10:50 am. Ages 2 to 3 with a parent or caregiver.
Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays, 3:30 to 4:00 pm. Ages 3 and up.
The Brown Bag Book Club
Wednesday, October 26th, noon to 1:00 pm
Each month the Book Club meets to discuss a new literary selection. New members are always welcome! For more information, call Becky or Livia at 499-6058 or e-mail to llewin@co.marin.ca.us.
Computer Tutoring
Hourly sessions every Monday, 11am to noon, 1-2 pm, 2-3 pm.
Bring your questions. Explore the Internet. Find information using Yahoo and Google. Learn the basics of setting up a free e-mail account and sending and receiving messages. To reserve a tutoring session, speak with a librarian at the reference desk or call 924-6444.
Storytimes
Toddler storytime, Wednesdays, 10:00 to 10:30 am. Ages 2 to 3 with a parent or caregiver.
Preschool storytime, Wednesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
Morning Book Club
Wednesday, October 19th, 10:00 am
Please join the Morning Book Club for tea and a lively discussion. The only requirement is that you read the book. Selections for the Fall series are:
September 21: Birds without Wings, by Louis de Bernieres.
October 19: Kim, by Rudyard Kipling.
November 16: The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters, by Elisabeth Robinson.
Please check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy.
Internet Tutoring
Free tutoring 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.
Storytimes
Preschool Storytime, Tuesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 to 5. (Sep-May)
Children’s Storytime, Saturdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
Strange & Spooky Stories for school-age children
Wednesday, October 26th, 7:30 to 8:00 pm
Neshama Franklin will tell STRANGE & SPOOKY STORIES to school-age children. Adults welcome; also, sturdy Kindergarteners. WEAR YOUR COSTUMES! Parents: Please leave preschoolers safe at home! Preschoolers may attend non-scary Halloween storytime on either Tues Oct 25 or Sat Oct 29.
Book Club
Thursday, October 6th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
The Fairfax Library Book Discussion Group meets the first Thursday of each month. The selection for October is The Known World, by Edward P. Jones. Please check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy. If you'd like to purchase your book, BookBeat in Fairfax offers our member a 15% discount.
Joseph Bacon--Classical Guitar Concert
Tuesday, October 11th, 7:30 to 8:30 pm
Join us for a unique opportunity to hear classical guitarist Joseph Bacon perform a selection of pieces from the 16th to 20th centuries in an intimate, informal setting. Mr. Bacon has performed worldwide and studied with Andres Segovia, Julian Bream and Ustad Ali Akbar Kahn.
Digitization of Historic Materials
Wednesday, October 12th, 7:00 pm
The California Room will hold a community meeting at the Fairfax Library, 2097 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., to discuss the digitization project they will be undertaking in conjunction with a Library Services and Technology Act grant they recently received. California Room Librarian, Laurie Thompson, will discuss the historical materials which will be digitized and how California Room primary source materials will be disseminated to a broader audience, via the Online Archive of California.
Friends of the Fairfax Library
Thursday, October 20th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
The mission of the Friends of the Fairfax Library is to build a partnership between the library and the community, to encourage public support, and to advocate for quality library service for all patrons of the Fairfax Library. The Friends meet on the third Thursday of the month in the community room of the Fairfax Library. Call 453-8151 for more information.
Meeting Room Gallery
Paintings by Mina Bauer continue on display through the month of October.
Computer Tutoring
Free training in computer, Internet, and e-mail basics individualized to meet your interests and skill level. Please call 506-3168 to set up an appointment for a one-hour session.
Friends of the Marin City Library
Saturday, October 1st, 10:00 am to noon
The mission of the Friends of the Marin City Library is to build a partnership between the library and the community, to encourage public support, and to advocate for quality library services for all patrons of the Marin City Library. The Friends meet on the first Saturday of the month in the adult seating area of the library. Call 332-6158 for more information.
Book Talk on Novato Cable Channel 27
Watch "Book Talk" every Monday, 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Novato Cable Channel 27. Show is repeated each Monday, with a new show every month!
Storytimes
Lapsit Storytime, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10:00 to 10:30 am. Ages 18 to 36 months with an adult.
Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays & Saturdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3-6. Please arrive early to get a nametag.
La Hora de los Cuentos en Español, Sábados a las 10:00 am. Para niños a partir de 3 años. (Spanish Language Storytime, Saturdays at 10:00 am)
Intermediate Internet - Beyond the Basics Internet Class
Tuesday, October 11th, 1:00 to 3:15 pm
You've got the basics of Internet navigation down. Now what? Come to the Novato Library's intermediate Internet class to go beyond the basics. You will learn to use email, manage bookmarks, and more. The volunteer instructor will present a lecture and demonstration on a large screen, followed by a question-and-answer session. Stop by the reference desk or call 897-1142 to reserve a space.
Internet Tutoring
Free training with an experienced computer professional who will individualize the training to meet your skill level. Call 506-3168 to set up an appointment for a one-hour session.
Storytimes
Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 to 5.
Bilingual Storytime, 2nd Saturday of each month, 11:00 am. Sing-along with Chicha in a Bilingual Storytime at South Novato Library for ages 3 to 7.
South Novato Reading Club
Thursday, October 27th, 6:30 to 8:00 pm
The South Novato Library Book Club meets the last Thursday of each month. New members are welcome. For October the group will be discussing
The Banyan Tree, by Christopher Nolan.
For more information, call Helen at 506-3168 or email hromero@co.marin.ca.us.
Internet Class at the Point Reyes Station Library
Friday, October 21st, 12:30 to 1:45 pm at the Point Reyes Station Library
Volunteer Daniel Will-Harris conducts small group Internet tutoring on the third Friday of every month. Call 663-8375 during open hours to reserve a space.
Turning the Pages in the Library radio program on KWMR
Wednesday, October 5th, 10:00 to 11:00 am
The Library's own Dan Carr has a monthly radio program about the library. He and his guests share the inside scoop on what the library can do for you, local history, great books, music, and online services. Tune in to KMWR (live at 90.5 FM Point Reyes Station, 89.3 FM Bolinas).
Bilingual Storytime
Thursday, October 13th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Point Reyes Station Library. Stories presented in English y en espanol. Crafts and refreshments included.
Place your request early and be one of the first to check out these new releases.
Annotations adapted from publishers' advance materials and the MARINet catalog.
The Camel Club by David Baldacci
Arab terrorists, nuclear threat and political duplicity drive bestselling Baldacci's latest. As fans of this writer know, years of experience have made him an author who promises a good story and then delivers it.
Between You and Me: A Memoir by Mike Wallace
Presidents, celebrities, con men, and social activists are the focus of this insightful and thoughtful memoir by venerable 60 Minutes journalist Wallace and collaborator Gates. The writing is informative, humorous, and laced with a journalist's passion for getting the story right.
Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie
Los Angeles, 1991. Ambassador Maximilian Ophuls is murdered in broad daylight on his illegitimate daughter India's doorstep, slaughtered by a knife wielded by his Kashmiri Muslim driver, a mysterious figure who calls himself Shalimar the clown. The dead man is a charismatic World War Two Resistance hero, a former US ambassador to India and subsequently America's counter-terrorism chief. The murder looks at first like a political assassination, but turns out to be passionately personal.
The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics, 1965-1995 by David Dodd
David Dodd, San Rafael Public Library Director & former Civic Center Library Branch Manager, expands the work begun with his 1995 website to annotate works from the Grateful Dead’s repertoire that will impress even the most hardcore Deadheads.
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Wiener
Having relocated to an alienating Connecticut suburb after a mugging in her native New York City, wife and mother Kate Klein struggles to fit in with her discriminating new neighbors and undertakes a murder investigation during her children’s school hours when a local mom is killed.
The Planets by Dava Sobel
Once again, this best-selling author brings science to readers across the spectrum. In each chapter, Sobel deftly weaves together astrology, music, art, popular culture, history, biography, poetry, and science fiction with current knowledge about our solar system. Her writing is vivid and poetic as she looks at each planet, including the sun and moon, from various scientific and cultural perspectives.
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Another legal thriller by this bestselling author takes readers into the complex world of Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller for heart-stopping twists and topflight storytelling.
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
The latest entry in the popular “Discworld” series, Pratchett's fantastic imagination and satirical wit are on full display. “Thud ... that was the sound the heavy club made as it connected with the head. The body jerked, and slumped back. And it was done, unheard, unseen: the perfect end, a perfect solution, a perfect story.”
A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
With the threat of the American Revolution looming, 20th-century time traveler Claire Fraser and her 18th-century Scottish husband, Jamie, must finally choose sides and prepare for war. Anyone who has gotten this far in Gabaldon's popular "Outlander" saga knows to expect loads of steamy sex, kidnappings, medical miracles, and gritty period details.
The Age of Anxiety: McCarthyism to Terrorism by Haynes Johnson
This Pulitzer Prize-winning author chronicles the1950s anti-Communist crusade by Senator Joseph McCarthy and details the numerous careers and lives that were destroyed by the campaign, revealing how beliefs originated from the movement are relevant to today’s world.
Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.
New Audio Books
The following audio book titles have recently been added to our collection. A complete list of the MARINet libraries' audio CD & cassette holdings is available online via a quick search.
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed : And Other Things I've Learned by Alan Alda [CD & cassette format]
Alda, Emmy winning star of television's M*A*S*H as well as a writer and director, candidly details his turbulent childhood and the lessons he learned during his event-filled life in this breezy collection of remembrances and anecdotes.
Eleven On Top by Janet Evanovich [CD & cassette format]
Hoping to discontinue her career as a bounty hunter for something safer, Stephanie Plum is inadvertently drawn into a case that is complicated by her tangled love life, her chaotic family, and her penchant for wrecking cars
A Briefer History of Time by Stephen W. Hawking [CD & cassette format]
From the time of the ancient Greeks through the present time, this historical overview of cosmology is told by one of the most famous and fascinating scientists today.
Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin [CD format]
Freddy, the Prince of Wales, is a stiff intellectual, while his beautiful wife, Princess Fredericka, lives for public adoration. To save the monarchy from an all-consuming media circus, these thinly veiled versions of Prince Charles and Princess Diana are sent on a mission; they're kicked out of the palace and literally dropped from a plane into New Jersey. Heprin’s mocking allegory of the British royal family is nevertheless deeply sympathetic to the individuals caught in its lonely absurdities.
Incendiary by Chris Cleave [CD & cassette format]
When a woman's four-year-old son and husband are killed in a suicide bombing at a London soccer match, the woman writes a letter directly to Osama bin Laden to convince him to stop his attacks. The woman then takes a job helping the anti-terrorism effort, but outside her doors, the world feels like a war zone--and it pushes her to desperation.
Catch Up With the Classics: Downloadable Audio Books
Autumn is creeping up around the corner--what better time to read some classic fiction? Catch up with those books you've been meaning to read all year! The Library offers a number of different e-book collections, all available from the Databases & eBooks webpage. Below are some wonderful classic titles in downloadable audio format from our Digital Books Collection. For more information about these books, ask your friendly local librarian!
Beowulf
One of the most universally studied of the English classics, Beowulf is considered the finest heroic poem in Old English. Written ten centuries ago, it celebrates the character and exploits of Beowulf, a young nobleman of the Geats, a people of southern Sweden.
Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes
One of the most entertaining adventure stories of all time featuring Don Quixote and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, two of the greatest characters in fiction.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre was hired by Edward Rochester as governess. She became pleased with the quiet country life at Thornfield, until she started to hear stories of a strange tenant, a woman who laughed like a maniac, and who stayed in rooms on the third floor.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Savor the wit, sly irony, satire, and comedy that Miss Austen crowds into almost every quiet, well-bred line of this novel. There is great sanity, common sense and worldly wisdom to be found in her exploration of human nature.
A Room With A View by E.M. Forster
Caught up in a world of social snobbery, Lucy Honeychurch finds herself constrained by the claustrophobic influence of her British guardians, who encourage her to take up with a well-connected boor. When she regrets that her hotel room has no view, a member of the lower class offers to trade rooms with her. Lucy becomes caught in a struggle between her own emotions and social conventions.
Below are featured operas and selections highlighting world-famous composers, librettists, and performers.
A complete list of the MARINet Libraries' music CD, cassette, & record holdings is available online via a quick search.
The 3 Tenors, Paris 1998
Opera excerpts performed by tenors José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti with James Levine conducting the Orchestre de Paris.
Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven
In the tradition of a post-French Revolution 'rescue opera', the heroine saves her imprisoned husband from murder at the hands of his oppressive political enemy.
It’s been a grand year in the children’s book business. We anxiously awaited the July publication of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, then the sequel to young Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, titled Eldest,, arrived in August. Here are five more hot sequels on the horizon chosen by Children's Librarian Marilyn Wronsky. Go ahead, reserve your copy now!
Looking for fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, local authors, audio books, or DVDs? Check out some of our most popular recommendations for adults, teens, and kids.
E-Connect staff:
E-Connect is an online publication distributed monthly by the Marin County Free Library. Alysanne Taylor, Administrative Services Associate, editor. Sarah Houghton, e-Services Librarian, webmistress.
